It is only a heathen lodging-place!

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

"Growing worse?" by J. A. James
 Play Audio!   Download MP3

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It is only a heathen lodging-place!

(J. R. Miller, "Our New Edens")

Parents are the custodians of their children's lives. If they would meet their responsibility and be able to look God and their children in the face at the judgment, they must make their homes as nearly 'gardens of Eden' as possible.

The way to save your children from the temptations of the streets--is to make your home so bright, so sweet, so beautiful, so happy, so full of love, joy and prayer--that the streets will have no attractiveness for them--no power to win them away. "Do not be overcome by evil--but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

The place of the home-life among the influences which mold and shape character, is supreme in its importance. Our children are given to us in tender infancy--to teach them and train them for holy, worthy, beautiful living.

It is not enough to have an opulent house to live in! It is not enough to have fine foods, and luxurious furniture, and expensive entertainments! Most of the world's worthiest men and women, those who have blessed the world the most--were brought up in plain homes, without any luxury!

It is the tone of the home-life, that is important. We should make it pure, elevating, refining, inspiring. The books we bring in, the papers and magazines, the guests we have at our tables and admit to our firesides, the home conversation, the pictures we hang on our walls--all these are educational. As in everything, LOVE is the great master-secret of home happiness.

The religious influences are also vitally important. In that first 'garden home', the Lord came and went as a familiar friend. Christ must be our guest--if our home is to be a fit place either for our children or for ourselves. If there is no sincere prayer in it, it is not a true home at all--it is only a heathen lodging-place!

How can we make 'new Edens' of our homes? What are some of the secrets of home happiness? I might gather them all into one word and say--CHRIST! If we have Christ as our guest--our home will be happy! He must be welcomed into all our life. He must be in each heart. He must sit at our tables and mingle with us in all our family interaction. Christ can bless our home, only through the lives of those who make the home circle.

Make your home so sweet, so heavenly, with love and prayer and song and holy living--that all through it, there shall be the fragrance of the heart of Christ!

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We have posted J. R. Miller's "Our New Edens", a choice ten page article on Christian home-life.

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These are nice, enjoy!

 

How good I am! What fine things I have done!

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

"For the ungodly!" Henry Law  Play Audio  Download MP3

All audio messages are now broadcast in very high quality.

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How good I am! What fine things I have done!

(J. R. Miller, "The Beauty of Quietness" 1903)

"They will be like dew sent by the Lord." Micah 5:7

The lives of godly people are sometimes compared to the dew. One point of likeness, is the quiet way in which the dew performs its ministry. It falls silently and imperceptibly. It makes no noise. No one hears it dropping. It chooses its time in the night when men are sleeping, when none can see its beautiful work. It covers the leaves with clusters of pearls. It steals into the bosoms of the flowers, and leaves new cupfuls of sweetness there. It pours itself down among the roots of the grasses and tender herbs and plants. It loses itself altogether, and yet it is not lost. For in the morning there is fresh life everywhere, and new beauty. The fields are greener, the gardens are more fragrant, and all nature is clothed in fresh luxuriance!

Is there not in this simile, a suggestion as to the way we should seek to do good in this world? Should we not wish to have our influence felt--while no one thinks of us; rather than that we should be seen and heard and praised? Should we not be willing to lose ourselves in the service of self-forgetful love, as the dew loses itself in the bosom of the rose--caring only that other lives shall be sweeter, happier, and holier--and not that honor shall come to us? We are too anxious, some of us, that our names shall be written in large letters on the things we do, even on what we do for our Master; and are not willing to sink ourselves out of sight--and let Him alone have the praise.

Our Lord's teaching on the subject is very plain. He says: "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." That is, they have that which they seek--the applause of men.

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." The meaning would seem to be, that we are not to wish people to know of our good deeds, our charities, our self-denials; that we should not seek publicity, when we give money or do good works; indeed, that we are not even to tell ourselves what we have done; that we are not to think about our own good deeds so as to become conscious of them; not to put them down in our diaries and go about complimenting ourselves, throwing bouquets at ourselves, and whispering: "How good I am! What fine things I have done!"

This is an insightful test of our lives. Are we willing to be as the dew--to steal abroad in the darkness, carrying blessings to men's doors, blessings that shall enrich the lives of others and do them good--and then steal away again before those we have helped or blessed awaken, to know what hand it was that brought the gift? Are we willing to work for others  . . .
  without gratitude,
  without recognition,
  without human praise,
  without requital?

Are we content to have our lives poured out like the dew--to bless the world and make it more fruitful--and yet remain hidden away ourselves? Is it enough for us to see the fruits of our toil and sacrifice--in others' spiritual growth, and deeper happiness; yet never hear our names spoken in praise or honor--perhaps even hearing others praised for things we have done?

If you go about doing good in simple ways, in gentle kindnesses, not thinking of reward, not dreaming of praise, not hoping for any return--you are enshrining your name where it will have immortal honor! Our lesson teaches us that this is the way we are to live--if we are followers of Christ!

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We have published J. R. Miller's insightful article, "A Parable of Christian Growth".

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Jeremiah 9:24

>

> Jeremiah 9:24 (NASS)
> but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows
> Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and
> righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the
> LORD.
>
>
> Sent from my iPod

We confess with shame

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:
"Made For Frivolities?"
Charles Spurgeon, powerful

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We confess with shame

(Henry Law, "Family Prayers")

O Eternal God, who alone has immortality, ever living in glory, unchanged, unchangeable, bend down Your ear to hear. We confess with shame--past hours wasted in unprofitable reading and other worldly entertainments. If future days are ours--guide us that no more time be squandered in vain pursuits.

Impress on our minds . . .
  the shortness of time,
  the work to be done,
  the account to be rendered,
  the nearness of eternity,
  the misery of lamps expired, when the voice of the Bridegroom is heard.

May we never forget that . . .
  Your eye always sees us;
  Your ear always hears us;
  Your recording hand commits all to a book of remembrance;
  all hidden works must be unveiled at the judgment day!

Above all things--may we seek Your favor!

Above all things--may we dread Your frown!

May Christ be the pulse of our hearts.

May He speak in every word of our lips.

May He shine in every step of our earthly walk.

Grant our requests, for His dear sake. Amen.

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The sword of Divine justice buried in His sinless heart!

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:
"Perpetual Fuel to the Flames of Hell"
 Thomas Brooks, powerful

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The sword of Divine justice buried in His sinless heart!

(Henry Law, "Family Prayers")

Holy Father,
We blush to lift up our eyes unto You, O God of all grace and love. Shame and confusion of face humble us to the very dust. Wherever You have been boundless in mercy--we have been abundant in sin! We cannot measure our ingratitude. We cannot estimate our vileness. Each day has added to our guilt. Each scene has witnessed our wicked hearts, our straying feet and our offending tongues. What is there in heaven or in earth, above, around, without, or within--which condemns us not? The sun condemns us, which has seen our mis-deeds; the darkness, too, which hides nothing from Your all-penetrating eye! The cruel accuser justly accuses us. Your righteous law, Your holy Word, our sin-soiled consciences, our public and our private hours--write dark things against us! We make no denial. We frame no excuse. We confess, Father, that we have sinned against heaven and before You--and are not worthy to be called Your sons!

But still we live! We live to fly as contrite penitents to Your extended arms! We know that You will not cast us off--for Jesus brings us near. You will not condemn us--for Your dear Son died in our place. You will not mark the mountains upon mountains of our sins--for the Savior has removed them all. His precious blood has washed out every crimson stain! His spotless robe of righteousness, covers all our deformities! We put it on by the hand of faith--and we rejoice that we are lovely in His precious loveliness, and beauteous in His matchless beauty.

Open widely the eyes of our faith, that we may see all our justly merited curse, expended on the faultless head of our precious sin-atoning Savior, and the sword of Divine justice buried in His sinless heart!

We come to You . . .
  clinging to His cross,
  sheltered by His side,
  hidden in His wounds,
  cleansed in His blood,
  covered by His spotless robe,
  beautified in His salvation!

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We have put together a fine selection of "CHOICE EXCERPTS" from Henry Law's "Family Prayers".

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The most lovely Christian!

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:
"The sweeter morsel for the worm!"
 by Spurgeon, on 'pride'. Must listen!

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The most lovely Christian!

(William Dyer, "Christ's Famous Titles")

"Learn from Me--for I am gentle and humble in heart." Matthew 11:29

Learn humility--from Christ's humility.

For lack of humility--some angels became devils! Proud sinners are fit companions, for none but proud devils!

When men glory in their pride--God stains the pride of their glory! "The Lord Almighty planned it--to stain the pride of all glory, and to humble all who are renowned on the earth." Isaiah 23:9

The most lowly Christian--is the most lovely Christian!

A believer is like a vessel in the sea: the more it fills--the more it sinks!

None live so humble on earth--as those who live highest in heaven. See how one of the best of saints looks upon himself--as one of the least of saints, "Unto me who am less than the least of all saints," said the great Paul in Ephesians 3:8.

The most holy men--are always the most lowly men. Where humility is the corner-stone, there piety is the top-stone. The coat of humility--should always be worn on the back of Christianity. "Clothe yourselves with humility." 1 Peter 5:5

God Almighty has two houses in which He dwells: His city-house, and His country-house. His city-house is the heaven of heavens; and His country-house is the humble and lowly heart! Isaiah 57:15, "I dwell in the high and holy place," that is, in heaven, God's city-house; "and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit," that is God's country-house.

Humility is a 'Bethel' for God's dwelling-place!

Pride is a 'Babel' for the devil's residence!

If you do not keep pride out of your soul, and your soul out of pride--pride will keep your soul out of heaven!

I will not say, that a poor man is never proud--but I will say, that a proud man is never godly. James 4:16, "God resists the proud--but gives grace to the humble." The face of piety--shines brightest through the mask of humility.

"Clothe yourselves with humility." Of all garments, humility best fits Christians, and best adorns their profession. A Christian should look with one eye upon God's grace--to keep him thankful; and with the other eye upon himself--to keep him mournful. When you begin to grow proud of your glistening feathers--look down upon your black feet!

Revelation 4:10, "The twenty-four elders fall down before the throne, and cast down their crowns before Him who sits on the throne." The only way of keeping our crowns on our heads--is the casting them down at Christ's feet!

Alas! sirs--what are you proud of?
Are you proud . . .
  of your riches,
  of your honors,
  of your relations,
  of your beauty,
  of your strength?
Alas! alas! these are poor base things to boast in!

Oh, go to the graves of those who have died before you. Are not their bones scattered, their eyes rotted, their flesh consumed, their mouth corrupted! Where now are their ruddy lips, their lovely cheeks, their fluent tongue, their sparkling eyes, their flowing hair? Are they not all gone, as a dream!

And where will you be before long?

And will you be proud of these things?

"I hate pride and arrogance!" Proverbs 8:13

"He is able to humble those who walk in pride!" Daniel 4:37

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