August 29, 1886

Ordered Steps   “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” — Psalm cxix. 133.   NOTICE, in the previous verse, how the psalmist expresses his longing desire to be treated as one of the Lord’s family: “Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto …

Psalms:119:133

August 22, 1886

The Very Friend You Need   “A friend of publicans and sinners.” — Luke vii. 34.   THIS title was given to our Divine Lord and Master by those who were disposed to cavil at him, and were unwilling to be convinced that he was the Messiah. John the Baptist’s self -denial was pushed much too far for them. …

Luke:7:34

August 15, 1886

The Object of Christ’s Death   “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” — Galatians i. 4, 6.   THE apostle Paul, in his writings, is notable for the fact that he …

Galatians:1:4, 6.

August 8, 1886

An Unparalleled Cure   “As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.” — Matthew ix. 32, 33.   As we read the chapter, we noticed the rapidity with which …

Matthew:9:32, 33

August 1, 1886

Darkness Before the Dawn   “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.”— Song of Solomon ii. 17.   THE spouse sings, “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away,” so that the beloved of the Lord may be …

Song of Solomon:2:17

July 25, 1886

Faith Victorious   “Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a …

Matthew:15:21-28

July 22, 1886

“This Thing is from Me”   “Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me.” — 1 Kings xii. 24.   IT is very delightful to read a history in which God is made prominent. How sadly deficient …

1 Kings:12:24

July 18, 1886

The Great Change   “Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.” — Hosea xiv.8.   THIS passage is in very vivid contrast to what Ephraim had previously said, as it is recorded in the …

Hosea:14:8

July 11, 1886

An Awful Contrast   “Then did they spit in his face.” — Matthew xxvi. 67. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven tied away.” Revelation xx. 11.   GUIDED by our text in Matthew’s Gospel, let us first go in thought to the palace of Caiaphas …

Matthew:26:67

June 24, 1886

The Best of All is, God With Us   “Is not the LORD your God with you?” — 1 Chron. xxii. 13.   WHILE we were reading this chapter, you must all have been struck with the melting of one man’s life into another. Here is David most anxious about the building of the temple at Jerusalem; he is …

1 Chronicles:22:13