Gospel Music Bites Word For The Day: Another FINAL Deception

gospel | Nov 03, 2009 | Comments 0

Satan, tries to deceive us by presenting to you the crosses, losses, reproaches, sorrows, and sufferings, which daily attend those who walk in the ways of holiness. Says Satan, Do not you see that there are none in the world that are so vexed, afflicted, and tossed, as those who walk more circumspectly and holily than their neighbors? They are a byword at home, and a reproach abroad; their miseries come in upon them like Job’s messengers, one upon the neck of another, and there is no end of their sorrows and troubles. Therefore, says Satan, you were better to walk in ways that are less troublesome, and less afflicted, though they be more sinful; for who but a madman would spend his days in sorrow, vexation, and affliction, when it may be prevented by walking in the ways that I set before him?

Satan must have forgotten that, all the afflictions that attend the people of God, shall turn to their profit to a glorious advantage. They shall discover the filthiness and vileness in sin.

It was a German divine who in his sickness said, ‘In this disease I have learned how great God is, and what the evil of sin is; I never knew in my experience, who God was, nor what sin meant—until now.’ Afflictions are a crystal glass, wherein the soul has the clearest sight of the ugly face of sin. In this glass the soul comes to see sin to be but a bitter-sweet; yes, in this glass the soul comes to see sin not only to be an evil—but to be the greatest evil in the world, to be an evil far worse than hell itself.

Again, Afflictions are sweet preservatives to keep the saints from sin, which is a greater evil than hell itself. The burnt child dreads the fire, and for the future I intend by the strength of Christ, that I will not buy repentance at so dear a rate.

Salt brine preserves from putrefaction, and salt marshes keep the sheep from the rot: so do afflictions the saints from sin. The ball in the Emblem says, the harder you beat me down in affliction, the higher I shall bound in affection towards heaven and heavenly things.

Today’s Prayer
Father, I praise you in my trials today knowing that all things work together for good. In Jesus name Amen