In the Visible Church There Is Much Rubbish.

"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind; which, when it was full, they drew to shore and sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away." Matt. 18:47-48.

The kingdom of heaven, that is, the Church, is likened by our Lord to a net cast into the sea. The net spoken of is a hauling-net, which was sometimes half a mile in length. A net of such dimen­ sions will naturally enclose fish of all sizes and kinds, some bad and others good. And so it is with the net of the Gospel. It is a large draw-net; it is not merely let down into one stream or river, but it dips the ocean, the wide and open sea of the world, and its threads are so strong, so well knitted together, that scarcely a single fish can escape. In other words, we have here a picture of the all-embracing Church of Christ, the preaching of the Gospel to every nation. But as the divine fishermen, the ministers of Christ, cast their net and enclose an abundance of human fishes, they find that not all are of the same quality; it is a mixed and motley multitude.

Behold, then, such is the outward appearance of the Church upon earth. Where the true Church is established, there you will find the sad effects of Satan’s pernicious work. You will find wicked people among the good, godlessness developing alongside of piety, vice cropping forth on the very side of virtue, and children of the Evil One standing next to the children of God. This has always been the case, and thus it will be to the end of the world. Was there not a Judas among the disciples of Christ? Do we not find divisions in the congregations of the early Church, much quar­ rel and angry controversy among the members, injustice, a wrong use of the Lord’s Supper, false prophets, men denying the doctrine

of the resurrection, even a man who had committed incest? Is there a congregation or a whole church-body which has arrived at the stage of perfection? There is no such congregation or Church on earth; and why ? Because Satan will always corrupt the divine Word; and our hearts, corrupted by sin, are always susceptible of all that is evil.

Prayer.

O almighty God, I come to Thee laden with sin and confess that I have deserved eternal damnation, being not only by nature a child of wrath and sold under sin, but having times untold trans­ gressed all Thy commandments. But I take refuge in Thy bound­ less mercy and humbly pray Thee, enter not into judgment with me, but for Thy name’s sake pardon mine iniquity. O Lord, here on earth Thy Church is polluted with many offenses; but at the end of the world a great change will come. Then a separation will take place. The good will be gathered into heaven, but the bad will be cast into eternal darkness. I submit to Thy will; do Thou as it seemeth good unto Thee; for Thine I am and would remain. Amen.

DAILY READINGS IN. LIFE OF CHRIST - J.R. Miller (1890) 

March 13. A Living Spring

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life!" John 4:14

The soul was made for God, and when it returns to God — it finds peace and satisfaction. It is not meant, of course, that the Christian has no more natural desires; for longing is the very condition of more blessedness. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." If there is no thirst — there really is no life. 

The dove that flew away from the ark went on weary wing everywhere — but found only a wide waste of desolate waters, with no place to alight. Then she flew back to the ark, and was gently drawn inside, where she found warmth, safety, and rest.

The story of the dove illustrates the history of the soul that wanders everywhere seeking rest, at last returning to God. How much better if men believed this truth of universal experience — and went at once to God! An immortal soul, from its very nature, cannot find what it needs anywhere, except in God Himself.

This word of Christ tells us also what true religion is. It begins in the heart. It is not something external — a mere set of rules or laws to be obeyed, a guide to be followed, an example to be copied. It is new spiritual life in the soul. It is Christ Himself coming into the heart and dwelling there. It is a fountain of life, not a mere cistern — but a living spring open and ever flowing. It is fed from Heaven, and no matter then how dry this world may be — this living fountain in the heart shall never be exhausted, for its connection is with the river of life, which flows out from under God's throne. 

Wherever we go — we have our religion with us, in us — if we are true Christians. We are not dependent upon circumstances. Trouble does not destroy a Christian, because the fountain of his joy is within. This new fountain of life when opened in the soul — is the beginning of eternal life!

FOR FURTHER STUDY (JLO)

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Rev 21:6)

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Rev 22:1-2)

            Jesus Christ is clearly the Fountain of Living Waters. He is not altogether the River of Life referred to in Revelations 22, but rather the Great Source of that River. His Word, proceeding in an abounding flood from His Heart and Mind, are the means whereby we may be granted, by His Grace, eternal life. The poor servant girl, Hagar, fleeing her mistress (Sarah) in the wilderness was found by the Lord by the preserving Fountain of Water. When we are helpless to govern our own path, as a poor servant girl, the LORD is always near as a Fountain of Water. And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. (Gen 16:7) But when she was freed of her servitude and again in the midst of the wilderness, the Lord found it necessary to open her eyes to see the Fountain that was at hand. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. (Gen 21:19) Christ is always near at hand for those who, even being blind, seek Him.

            Life is full of wilderness places. Sometimes those wilderness experiences come as a result of illness or death of a loved one, a financial tragedy, or the unrequited love of a dear soul upon whom we have set our heart and all of our love. It is at such wilderness places that we may benefit the most from opening our eyes to the beautiful Fountain of Living Waters (our LORD Jesus Christ) that stands at the ready by our sides to replenish our souls that have fallen vacant of love. He knows our circumstance and feeling for He has often showered His love on many from whom such love was not immediately reciprocated, and sometimes, NEVER!

            His is the Source of all the Waters of Life and of the Light of Heaven. He is the LIGHT only whereby we can SEE light. How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. (Psalms 36:7-9)

            How constant is that Fountain of Waters to those Elect who are privileged to have it? It is a Continual supply to those who love Him and KNOW Him. And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (Isaiah 58:11) Our nourishment is two-fold: it is the Water of Life (the Word of God), and the Bread of Heaven (the Person of Christ). We cannot have our own water, but His. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13) All of the wells and fountains of water hewn out by the hands of men cannot suffice. They will fell in due season when the waters are most needed; but the Waters of Life supplied by the Lord are a contiunual and overflowing stream.

            We may read of two places that our names may be written down by the Lord: 1) the Book of Life in Heaven. If our names are not written there, then they are, of necessity, written in the earth. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8) O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. (Jeremiah 17:13) Perhaps it was the names of those accusers of the woman taken in adultery that the Lord wrote upon the ground in the 8^th chapter of the Gospel of St John, and the next writing He made was perhaps the names of some other accomplices in the sin of adultery by their names. This would have definitely dispersed the accusers beginning at the eldest even unto the youngest.

            In speaking with the Samaritan woman at Jacob¡¯s Well, Christ gently informed her that it was not the water from Jacob’s Well that she needed most, but the Living Water that he could give her. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (John 4:10) When our hearts are possessed of THAT WATER, they will be too small to hold the overflowing floods of life that spring there from. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38) When we truly possess that Living Water of Christ, we cannot contain the whole. Our hearts will overflow with such profusion of love and truth that all around us will marvel. Do you have that Living Water, and does it overflow to all around?

(Bishop Ogles' Commentary-2012)

 

 GETTING THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST

    Two artists were asked each to make a copy of a famous painting. The one made mathematical calculations and produced a technically correct copy.

    The other studied the painting, entered into the spirit of the artist, and produced not merely an imitation, but a picture which glowed with warmth and life. 

    We are not, as Christians, simply to copy Christ, but rather to become possessed of his spirit and so reflect his life in our lives. Let us aim to become possessed of the spirit of Christ, and so model his life and Spirit.

 March 12. (THE FAMILY ALTAR - BRIEF DAILY DEVOTIONS Based on Selected Scripture Texts - 1922)

 

And the high priest answered and said unto Him: "I adjure

thee by the living God that Thou tell us whether Thou be the

Christ, the Son of God." Jesus saith unto him: "Thou hast said;

nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of

Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds

of heaven." Matt. 26:63. 64.

 

The captors of Jesus first led Him bound to Annas, the

father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest of that year, who had

been plotting the Savior's death ever since the resurrection of

Lazarus. (John 11,49.50.) Before this biased and cruel judge

our Lord was brought from Annas, where his trial at once took

place. When, however, our Lord remains silent to all the lying

testimony which the hastily collected, false, and suborned witnesses

adduce against Him, Caiaphas springs his trap and solemnly ad-

jures the Lord to tell them whether He is the Christ, the Son

of the living God, or not.

Now, where the honor of His heavenly Father, the truth of His

Gospel, the salvation of the lost sinful world is involved, our

blessed Lord does not hesitate a moment, but at once confesses the

truth, though He knows what terrible sufferings and death await

Him. In His great love He would even save His cruel, unjust judges,

and therefore He warns them against the coming judgment. He came

in judgment on them in the destruction of their city, Jerusalem; He

will come to their final and eternal judgment when He appears in the

clouds of heaven to judge the quick and the dead. Woe unto all, then,

who rejected Him, their only Savior, in blind and obdurate hate

and unbelief!

He that believeth not shall be damned; he excludes

himself from the mercy, the righteousness, the salvation prepared

also for him in Christ Jesus, the sinners' Friend and pardoning

Judge; and so he must suffer the curse, and die in his sins

without mercy through all eternity. "Kiss the Son, lest He be

angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled

but a little. Blessed are all they thaf put their trust in Him."

 

 

Great God, to Thee my spirit clings,

Thy boundless love declaring;

One wondrous sight my comfort brings,

The Judge my nature wearing.

Beneath His cross I view the day

When heaven and earth shall pass away,

And thus prepare to meet Him.

 The Difference between the Law and the Gospel. 

The contents of Holy Scripture are twofold: Law and Gospel. Both are necessary for us. The Law teaches what we are to do; the Gospel teaches what God has done, and still does, for our sal­ vation. The Law teaches knowledge of sin; the Gospel shows us our Savior. The Law condemns us for our sins, terrifies and hum­ bles us before the holy God, so that we learn to despair of being able to save ourselves; the Gospel promises, gives, and seals unto us, forgiveness, life, and salvation. The Law does not promise heaven to you; on the contrary, it tells you very plainly, that you will go to hell; it works wrath and kills; it tells you that you must love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself; and you must acknowledge and confess that such a perfect love is not in your heart. What, then, does the Law teach but the wrath of God because you have not fulfilled its precepts? But what does the Gospel do? It invites and draws us to Christ, kindles faith in our hearts, and thus works spiritual life in us. It teaches righteousness. It tells us that we are righteous in the sight of God by faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that for the sake of His dear Son, who bled and died for us on the cross, God will not lay a single sin to our charge.

These two doctrines, Law and Gospel, faith and works, must not be confused or blended together; if that is done, the way of salvation is obscured. Whoever says that man must do his part, whereupon God will also do His, or that man is justified and saved by faith and works, obliterates the proper distinction between Law and Gospel, faith and works, grace and merit. The distinction between Law and Gospel, therefore, is of paramount importance.

Prayer.

Lord God, this twofold doctrine of Thy holy Word, Law and Gospel, affects our principles, sentiments, motives, aims, and all our works and doings. Let us well understand and rightly divide them in every situation of our lives. We entreat Thee of Thy fatherly goodness, let the curse of the Law make us despair of our own ability to merit Thy favor and eternal life, so that we shall gratefully accept the Gospel, the message of Thy grace through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, and thereupon willingly lead a Chris­tian life, prepare for a blessed departure, and, finally, fall asleep and rest in peace and joy, until Thou wilt call us forth again unto life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness 

My beauty are, my glorious dress; 

In these Thy precious gifts arrayed, 

With joy shall I lift up my head.

DAILY READINGS IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST - J. R. Miller

March 12. Earthly Joys

That is just as true of all of earth's springs of joy — as it was of Jacob's well. Men and women drink of them today — and find a measure of satisfaction for a little while — but soon they are thirsty as ever again!

The human soul cannot be satisfied with any of earth's good things. This is not the fault of the things of earth; they are good and beautiful in their way and in their place. But the soul is spiritual and immortal, and cannot be filled with any good which is not also spiritual and immortal.

Money and fame and power, can never be food for a soul made in the divine image; nothing less than God Himself can answer its cravings.

We could not make the angels happy — by giving them gold and diamonds, and building them fine marble palaces to live in, and putting crowns and fine clothes on them. No more can we satisfy our own souls with such things! Men try to do so — but their thirst is only momentarily quenched, and soon they must drink again! Gratification only intensifies desire!

There is said to be a strange plant in South America which finds a moist place and sends its roots down. It then becomes green for a little while, until the place becomes dry — when it draws itself out and rolls itself up and is blown along by the wind until it comes to another moist place, where it repeats the same process. On and on the plant goes, stopping wherever it finds a little water — until the spot is dry. Then, in the end, after all its wanderings — it is nothing but a bundle of dry roots and leaves!

It is just the same with those who drink only of this world's springs. They drink — and then thirst again. They thus go on from spring to spring, blown by the winds of passion and desire, and at last their souls are nothing but bundles of unsatisfied desires and burning thirsts! We must find something better than this — or perish forever! "Whosoever drinketh of this water — shall thirst again!" John 4:13