FORGIVENESS

The strongest inducement for a Christian to obey the divine law is the fact that he has been graciously pardoned for having broken it. ---- Ernest F. Kevan

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die." (II Samuel 12:13).

"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin" (Romans 47-8).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched (Joseph Hart, 1759.  

MEDITATION

What is the reason there is so much preaching and so little practice? For want of meditation... Constant thoughts are operative, and musing makes the fire burn. Green wood is not kindled by a flash or spark, but by constant blowing. ---- Thomas Manton.

This Book of the Law shall  not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle,to the glory of God:  O Christ, Our Hope, Our Heart's Desire(Latin hymn, 7th. or 8th. century).

JERUSALEM

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. Thy will be his people, and God himself will be with them and their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:1-5a)

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God:

Jerusalem the Golden (Bernard of Cluny, 12th. century.)

SEPARATE

There is no cross or misery that befalls the church of God or any of His children, but it is related to God. --- Samuel Rutherford

I am convinced that neither death nor life...nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God:

Loved With Everlasting Love (George W. Robinson 1890).

CHIEF END

A current TV ad declares that "Life is knowing what you live for." I would add that this is true if you know that what you live for is to know God and make Him known. --- pgs

 

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever and ever(Romans 11:36).

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (From Psalm 103. Joachim Neander, 1680.

FORGIVE

(Forgive? Forgiven!)  We need not climb up into heaven to see whether our sins are forgiven; let us look into our hearts, and see if we can forgive others. If we can, we need not doubt but God has forgiven us. --- Thomas Watson.

If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14-15).

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew  6:12).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive. Rosamond E. Herklots, 1969) 

SUFFERING

We are called servants, to show how we must obey. We are called soldiers to show how we should suffer. --- Henry Smith. .

Be dressed, ready for service, and keep your lamps burning..." (Luke 12:35-38).

 Endure hardship with us, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus (II Timothy 2:3).

Hymns to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Take My Life, and Let It Be (Frances R. Havergal, 1874).

Am I a Soldier of the Cross (Isaac Watts, 1724)