Joy For The Cast-Out

Possibly this text may not apply to one in a thousand of the readers of this little book of promises; but the LORD cheers that one in such words as these.

Let us pray for all such as are cast out wrongfully born the society which they love. May the LORD appear to their joy!

The text applies to truly gracious men who tremble at the word of the LORD.

These were hated of their brethren and at length cast out because of their fidelity and their holiness.

This must have been very bitter to them; and all the more so because their casting out was done in the name of religion, and professedly with the view of glorifying God.

How much is done for the devil in the name of God!

The use of the name of Jehovah to add venom to the bite of the old serpent is an instance of his subtlety.

The appearing of the LORD for them is the hope of His persecuted people.

He appears as the advocate and defender of His elect; and when He does so it means a clear deliverance for the God-fearing and shame for their oppressors.

O LORD, fulfill this word to those whom men are deriding!

~Charles Spurgeon~

Should It Be According To Your Mind?

We are prone to be fretful, to complain of the dispensations of Divine Providence, and to reflect harshly upon the Lord's dealings with us.

We want our own way.

We wish to carve for ourselves.

We would be treated as God's favorites.

We want our ease, and prosperity, and pleasure, consulted in all things.

And if this does not appear to be done-if our wills are crossed, if our schemes are frustrated, if our purposes are broken off...then we stumble, think ourselves badly treated, and look for everybody to sympathize with us.

Under these circumstances, God comes to us as we sit among our broken cisterns, surrounded by our dethroned idols and puts this question to us: "Should it be according to your mind?"

Are you wiser than God?

Are you kinder than God?

Are you holier than God?

Are you more just than God?

Are you better informed than God?

May not your mind be dark, or selfish, or foolish?

Should it then be according to your mind? 

Should you reign 0r God? 

Remember that God acts in the highest wisdom; His motives are grace and justice; and all His purposes are worthy of Himself.

The least the Christian can do is to submit and to prefer God's wisdom, way, and work  to his own. 

Seeing God has so arranged all events, that all things must work together for the good of His people they, at least, should daily say, "Father, may Your will be done!"

O my soul, seek grace from God, not only to submit and be resigned to the dispensations of Divine Providence but to acquiesce in them, and be pleased with the whole of them!

Your good is consulted your best interests are secured; and soon, very soon, it will be seen that infinite wisdom and mercy, grace and goodness, have marked out every step of your road!

~James Smith~

John 13:7  Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 

Little Foxes, And How To Catch Them~Indecision!

I know few things that bring more discomfort, than a fickle, hesitating, undecided spirit.
 
You ask a person to do something for you, or to come on such a day to see you, or to give you a subscription towards some charitable object...but you can get no clear answer.
 
They will think it over. They are not quite sure.

They must wait a few days before giving an answer; and when the few days are passed, you have still to wait on, for no answer comes.
 
Thus you are left all in uncertainty.

If your friend would only just make up his mind and say "Yes" or "No," you would be content, and know what steps to take; 

But indecision leaves everything unsettled and makes everyone uncomfortable.

But I want to speak of indecision in the highest matters.

If it is bad in temporal things it is far worse in our dealings with Christ and His salvation.

So many are always halting between two opinions: they never take a firm stand on the right side.

Today you think they are true followers of Christ, but tomorrow they are all for the world.

They can be very serious at times, and express a great desire for the hope of the Gospel; but when thrown with worldly people, their religion seems all gone to the winds.

I suppose the reason is because of the two-sidedness of Christ's Gospel.

On the one side we have glorious hopes and blessed privileges: deliverance from guilt and condemnation, free remission of the past debt of sin, a garment of perfect righteousness, peace with God, a place in His family, the comforts of His love, citizenship in the heavenly Zion, everlasting life, and a crown of glory that never fades away.

Here is one side; but there is another.

Those who believe in Christ, have day by day to take up the cross, to deny themselves, and to walk in the Master's footsteps.

The way is often narrow, and the gate is strait.

Reproach and persecution must be endured.

Earthly idols must be cast away, and even life itself must be sacrificed-if our allegiance to Christ requires it.

The Lord requires that His people should, when He calls for it, withhold nothing.

A willing heart, all we are and all we have, must be laid at His feet.

He who forsakes not all that he has, cannot be My disciple.

Hence comes a wavering, hesitating spirit.
 
People would have the one side, but not the other.

Mere professors wish for the privileges of the Gospel but shrink from its precepts.

They want the joys of God's people but have no heart to bear the cross and confess Christ's name in the world.

They dare not cast off the profession of the Gospel, lest they should be shut out of Heaven; but again and again they turn aside from the King's highway, and walk in "by-path meadow."

Lack of thorough decision is the root of great evil.

Take a young person who delights to listen to the truth, and to a certain extent has a love for it, but there is no real earnestness or determined purpose of heart.

The salvation of the soul has never been the first thing.

There has been no fixed choice.

There has been no hearty dedication to the Savior's service.

The result comes out before long.

There is no real peace and no strength to meet temptation; and when some suitable snare is presented, there is no power to overcome.
 
Or if a sudden danger comes and death approaches, all is alarm and confusion.

A short time ago a young girl was taken from her earthly home after four days' illness.
 
She was the daughter of Christian parents, and she had often been told the story of her Savior's love.

She was naturally amiable and pleasing; but those who lived with her could not tell how far she felt the power of God'sWord.

The hour of danger told the truth.

When told that probably she might not recover, she exclaimed, "I cannot die! I have not loved the Savior!" and from that moment every thought was centered in that one care.

Her parched lips continually pleaded, "Oh, Jesus, teach me! Help me to love You!"

She would not be comforted by false peace, and it was only at the very last that the clouds seemed to burst, and that she could see the Savior to be her own.

Another case I remember, the very reverse of this, one that shows the blessedness of decision for God.

A young girl of seventeen was sent from home to a school where she had many privileges.
 
She worked hard at her lessons, doing in one year more than many girls in three.

At this time her heart was touched by God's Holy Spirit.

After weeks of prayer and earnest inquiry she gave herself unreservedly to the Savior, and found great peace.

The next year she was laid low with an attack on the brain.

Her life, so full of promise, seemed ebbing away but the danger passed.

Health was gradually restored.

But what was the cause?

It was due, under God, to the quiet, deep, calm peace which possessed her heart.

Her medical adviser stated that had there been the slightest mental struggle or fear, it must have been fatal to life or reason.
 
She had given herself unreservedly to Christ, and she had a blessed reward.

She had "perfect peace" in the hour of danger; and this, in God's hand, was the means of her recovery.

I can scarcely think of any little bit of advice I would more earnestly give to any who are anxious to be the disciples of Christ, than this:

Be out and out Christians! Don't be both hot and cold.

Don't veer round from north to south, and from south to north.

Be one thing, and one thing always...in all places and in all companies.

Christ has no room in His kingdom for those who keep back half the heart.

He has no room for almost Christians.

He has no room for those who would call Him, "Lord, Lord," and yet chime in with the evil practices of those who will not have Him to reign over them.

He has said it plainly: "No man can serve two masters."

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who gathers not with Me, scatters abroad." (Matthew 6:24; 12:30.)

Away with all empty, hollow profession!

Away with all half-heartedness and Laodicean lukewarmness.

Away with all double-mindedness, expecting to taste the fruits of Paradise-and yet never to toil or labor in His vineyard!

All such religion is a delusion and a sham!

Be decided for God.

Leaning on Christ, relying upon the heavenly assistance of the Holy Spirit, be a fearless and faithful follower of the Lamb.

Be an altogether Christian! Not a Christian on Sunday-and a worldling on Monday!

Not a Christian in lip-and a worldling in life!
Not following Christ in fair weather-and forsaking Him in foul.

But hold fast your profession at all times and in all circumstances.

Be decided.

Think of the example of your great Master.

He walked straight on through good report and ill, through toil and through suffering, through contempt and reproach, to do His Father's will.

He set His face like a flint.

He steadfastly went forward to die a malefactor's death for our sake.

He did all that was needful for our salvation, and then was received back to His glory.

Even so let it be with you. You must walk in His footsteps.

You must stand fast in faith and hope.

You must suffer with Christ if you would reign with Him.

You must bear the cross if you would wear the crown.

Be decided.

It is the only safe course.

To be almost a Christian will never save you.

If you were living in a village near a volcano, and there were signs of danger, it would not profit to think of leaving your home, or even being almost persuaded to do so.

When the burning lava stream overwhelmed the village, you would perish after all.

But if you left the spot and took up your abode in a place of safety, then the peril could not touch you.

So must you act in the matter of your salvation.

You must forsake the evil that is in the world.

You must fly from sin and judgment, to Christ the only Refuge.

You must give yourself up altogether to Him, and then you are safe.

No harm can then come near you.

You have a shelter which no storm of wrath can ever invade.
Be decided.

To be so makes the path of life plain and clear.

To act like Balaam to long for the gold and silver, and go as far as you dare to obtain it, and yet profess to obey God ah, this is a wretched, miserable course!

In acting in this spirit, a man is drawn hither and thither, and knows not which way to take.

There is a constant battle between conscience and character.

But let a man take God's standard, and abide by it;

Let him desire only to do God's will as far as he sees it;

Let him put God first and everything else second, and he will have peace; his path will usually lie clear before him:

He may have opposition to encounter and loss to suffer, but he will have God on his side, and his conscience will be at rest.

Be decided.

You will thus honor God and be a blessing in the world.

You will be a pillar of strength in the Church of Christ.

Waverers and faint-hearted disciples will see you, and be reproved.

Those who yet are strangers to Divine peace will see that there is a power in true religion.

Men will know where to find you, and what you mean.

There will be no doubt on which side you are.
 
And you will leave a mark behind.

When your work is done, you will be missed by your fellow-Christians, and your name and memory will be blessed.

The remembrance of your example will allure others to walk in the way of life.

Just as the example and last words of Joshua were blessed to the whole generation who had seen and known him, so your fixed and steadfast purpose to serve the Lord will not be forgotten when you are in the grave.

Be decided.

A bright and glorious crown shall be yours.
 
Take the words of promise: "Those who honor Me, I will honor." "If any serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serves Me, him will my Father honor." (John 12:26.)

Who are these, like stars appearing These before God's throne who stand?

Each a golden crown is bearing, Who are all this glorious band?

Alleluia! hark they sing, Praising loud their Heavenly King.

Who are these in dazzling brightness, Clothed in God's own righteousness:

These, whose robes of purest whiteness Shall their luster still possess?

Still untouched by time's rude hand; Whence come all this glorious band?

These are they who have contended For their Savior's honor long,

Wrestling on until life was ended, Following not the sinful throng:

These, who well the fight sustained, Triumph by the Lamb have gained.

These are they who watched and waited, Offering up to Christ their will, Soul and body consecrated.

Day and night to serve Him still.

Now in God's most holy place, Blessed they stand before His face! 

~George Everard~

God Will Answer

His own Spirit has wrought this desire in us, and therefore He will answer it.

It is His own life within which prompts the cry, and therefore He will hear it.

Those who fear Him are men under the holiest influence, and, therefore, their desire is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Like Daniel, they are men of desires, and the LORD will cause them to realize their aspirations.
 
Holy desires are grace in the blade, and the heavenly Husbandman will cultivate them till they come to the full corn in the ear.

God-fearing men desire to be holy, to be useful, to be a blessing to others, and so to honor their LORD.

They desire supplies for their need, help under burdens, guidance in perplexity, deliverance in distress...

And sometimes this desire is so strong and their case so pressing that they cry out in agony like little children in pain, and then the LORD works most comprehensively and does all that is needful according to this Word -"and will save them."

Yes, if we fear God, we have nothing else to fear; if we cry to the LORD, our salvation is certain.
 
Let the reader lay this text on his tongue and keep it in his mouth all the day, and it will be to him as a wafer made with honey.

~Charles Spurgeon~

The Power Of Dying

In  Isaiah 53 we see the Redeeming servant of God going into desolation.

The whole picture is one of desolation.

He is alone, despised and rejected; terrible aloneness, His Cross has cost Him everything. 

His own brethren do not believe in Him, His nearest disciples do not understand Him, and yet how did that wonderful chapter close?

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days; He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.

From that point of the losses of the Cross and its promise of “seed,” we move on to the ultimate vindication.

Behold a Lamb as it had been slain, in the midst of the Throne, and around Him “great multitudes which no man could number, out of all nations, and tribes and peoples and tongues.”

There is the gain which is the result of His travail.

The practical application is this: Very often it does seem that God requires a lot of us; that this Cross makes tremendous inroads, tremendous demands, and sometimes forces the demand to the point of pain, when we have to hand over to Him something very dear. 

We seem all the time to be giving, giving. 

It seems that the law of sacrifice is tremendously at work. 

But this is the road and the law by which, and by which alone, the infinite and transcendent gain can come.

There is the Devil spreading out before the Lord, “all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory thereof,” and saying, “all these will I give Thee, if -” and this is the subtle significance of it “if you will only keep off that Cross.” 

Satan knew what the Cross was going to mean, namely, that he would lose the world kingdoms and that Christ would have them by that Cross.

So in effect his words meant, “Keep off that Cross, and I will give you everything.”

But said the Master, in effect, I am going to the Cross and I can afford to reject your offer.

So He went by the way that led to the Cross, rejecting the world, denying Himself, and there, according to His own words: “The prince of this world was cast out”, and He gained more than the Devil could have given Him.

Are you prepared to let go in order to obtain?

Let go the temporal for the eternal, the transient for the abiding, the earthly for the heavenly, the present glamour for the ultimate glory?

This is the way to possess all things.

Some of us have proved that the things that we were most loath to let go, but which at length we gladly yielded up, have come back to us with a greater fullness, or have been the way of an enrichment transcending anything we before knew.

~T. Austin Sparks~

GOD Delights To Give

Gen 13:14  And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
 
Gen 13:15  For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
 
A special blessing for a memorable occasion. Abram had settled a family dispute.

He had said, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between thee and me, for we be brethren"; and hence he received the blessing which belongs to peacemakers.

The LORD and giver of peace delights to manifest His grace to those who seek peace and pursue it. 

If we desire closer communion with God, we must keep closer to the ways of peace.

Abram had behaved very generously to his kinsman, giving him his choice of the land.

If we deny ourselves for peace's sake, the LORD will more than make it up to us. 

As far as the patriarch can see, he can claim, and we may do the like by faith. 

Abram had to wait for the actual possession, but the LORD entailed the land upon him and his posterity. 

Boundless blessings belong to us by covenant gift. All things are ours. 

When we please the LORD, He makes us to look everywhere and see all things our own, whether present or things to come, all are ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

~Charles Spurgeon~

Our Great Opportunities

Job 38:22  Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
 
Job 38:23  Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
 
Our trials are great opportunities. Too often we look on them as great obstacles.

It would be a haven of rest and an inspiration of unspeakable power if each of us would henceforth recognize every difficult situation as one of God's chosen ways of proving to us His love and look around for the signals of His glorious manifestations; then, indeed, would every cloud become a rainbow, and every mountain a path of ascension and a scene of transfiguration.

If we will look back upon the past, many of us will find that the very time our Heavenly Father has chosen to do the kindest things for us, and given us the richest blessings, has been the time we were strained and shut in on every side.

God's jewels are often sent us in rough packages and by dark liveried servants, but within we find the very treasures of the King's palace and the Bridegroom's love.

~A. B. Simpson~

Trust Him in the dark, honor Him with unwavering confidence even in the midst of mysterious dispensations, and the recompense of such faith will be like the moulting of the eagle's plumes, which was said to give them a new lease of youth and strength. 

~J. R. Macduff~

If we could see beyond today As God can see; If all the clouds should roll away, The shadows flee;

O'er present griefs we would not fret. Each sorrow we would soon forget, For many joys are waiting yet For you and me.

If we could know beyond today As God doth know, Why dearest treasures pass away And tears must flow;

And why the darkness leads to light, Why dreary paths will soon grow bright; Some day life's wrongs will be made right, Faith tells us so.

If we could see, if we could know,' We often say, But God in love a veil doth throw Across our way;

We cannot see what lies before, And so we cling to Him the more, He leads us till this life is o'er; Trust and obey.

Obedience Brings Blessing

Deu 12:28  Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.

Though salvation is not by the works of the law, yet the blessings which are promised to obedience are not denied to the faithful servants of God.

The curses our LORD took away when He was made a curse for us, but no clause of blessing has been abrogated.

We are to note and listen to the revealed will of the LORD, giving our attention not to portions of it but to "all these words."

There must be no picking and choosing but an impartial respect to all that God has commanded.

This is the road of blessedness for the Father and for His children.

The LORD's blessing is upon His chosen to the third and fourth generation.

If they walk uprightly before Him, He will make all men know that they are a seed which the LORD has blessed.

No blessing can come to us or ours through dishonesty or double dealing.

The ways of worldly conformity and unholiness cannot bring good to us or ours.

It will go well with us when we go well before God.

If integrity does not make us prosper, dishonest dealing will not.

That which gives pleasure to God will bring pleasure to us.

~Charles Spurgeon~               

Our Helper In Prayer

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
 
Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Our great Helper in prayer is the Lord Jesus Christ, our Advocate with the Father, our Great High Priest, whose chief ministry for us these centuries has been intercession and prayer.

He it is who takes our imperfect petitions from our hands, cleanses them from their defects, corrects their faults, and then claims their answer from His Father on His own account and through His all-atoning merits and righteousness.

Brother, are you fainting in prayer? Look up.

Your blessed Advocate has already claimed your answer, and you would grieve and disappoint Him if you were to give up the conflict in the very moment when victory is on its way to meet you.

He has gone in for you into the inner chamber, and already holds up your name upon the palms of His hands;

And the messenger, which is to bring you your blessing, is now on his way, and the Spirit is only waiting your trust to whisper in your heart the echo of the answer from the throne, "It is done."

~A. B. Simpson~

The Spirit has much to do with acceptable prayer, and His work in prayer is too much neglected.

He enlightens the mind to see its wants, softens the heart to feel them...

Quickens our desires after suitable supplies...

Gives clear views of God's power, wisdom, and grace to relieve us...

And stirs up that confidence in His truth which excludes all wavering.

Prayer is, therefore, a wonderful thing.

In every acceptable prayer the whole Trinity is concerned.

~J. Angell James~

The Psalmist Was a Man Unanswered

First, note that he was a man unanswered. 

He knew the bitterness of heaven's silence.

His opening cry in our deep psalm is this: "Hide not thyself from my supplication".

Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. Psa 55:1

It is an easy thing to trust in God when swiftly and certainly our prayers are answered.

There are some who read this column whose life is a compact of answered prayer.

But when we pray and the face of God is hidden, and we are restless because heaven is silent-it is often difficult to trust Him then.

Especially is that true of intercession when we have been praying for someone who is dear, that God would spare a life or kill a habit or bring the beloved prodigal home again.

To continue trusting when we have prayed like that and the prayers have seemed to go whistling down the wind, is one of the hardest tasks in human life.

The splendid thing is that the psalmist did it. He refused to regard silence as indifference.

He knew that a thousand days are as one day to God and that sometimes love delays the chariot wheels.

Heaven might be silent and the face of God averted and all the comfort of fellowship withdrawn, but I will trust in thee.

~George H. Morrison~
     

To Him That Overcometh

We all have resurrection Life if we are joined to Christ as Resurrection, but there is something more than that;

There is resurrection power, which carries us eventually (if it has its full outworking) to the Throne, and not all will come to the Throne.

It is: “to him that overcomes.” Caleb, like Paul, and Paul, like Caleb, stood against the more general course of things amongst the Lord’s people.

The majority were content with going so far as to the inheritance, possessing so much, and there staying and settling down.

An unfinished course, a curtailed spiritual advance, an accepting of something less than what God had appointed and intended.

The majority took that course, but Caleb was never content and he stood against the majority just as he had always stood against a majority that did not represent God’s full mind....

Spiritual leadership always involves loneliness.

That is the cost of it.

The overcomers will always be, so far as the larger Christian world is concerned, a lonely company, having to go on, with few able to follow.

Caleb could not accept the popular voice, his heart was too set upon the Lord.

He wholly followed the Lord, not the popular and general standard of Christian life.

We may say that Caleb was the very embodiment of all that God meant the whole people to be.

When you see Caleb you see what God wished all Israel to be, but all Israel did not come to the standard of Caleb.

But the Lord gets in a Caleb the satisfaction of His heart.

The Lord realizes His full thought in a Caleb, in the same way as He does in a Paul.

~T. Austin Sparks~

The Doom Of The Double-Hearted

Num 31:8  And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. 

Balaam had taken the field against Israel-against a people whom he had pronounced blessed-whom he had pronounced invincible both by earth and hell.

Yes; Balaam "the son of Beor," he, and not another of the name-he rushes on the bosses of the Almighty's buckler; he defies Israel and Israel's God!

But he fails.

He would sincerely have cursed Israel; but he could not.

He counseled Moab to seduce Israel by temptation, and his device succeeded too well.

He now fetches his last stroke. In vain He perishes ignobly.

He is slain with the sword which he had defied.

Such is the end of the backslider; of one who knew the truth but did it not; who once said, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his."

It was certainly not the end he prayed for; yet it was the end to which his whole life had been tending.

He reaped what he sowed, and in him "God was not mocked." 

He died as he lived, in fellowship with Moab, yet in heart persuaded that Israel was the beloved of the Lord, and that Jehovah was God.

His life had been with Midian, and so was his death.

His grave is with the unclean.

He passes from earth with none to soothe his death-bed and close his eyes; none to lament for him or to build his monument.
 
Sad end of a life of halting and indecision, and resistance of the Spirit, and braving of conscience, and rejection of light, and wretched covetousness.

He loved the wages of unrighteousness, and verily he had his reward.

Let us see what he wanted and how he failed; how ambitious he was, yet what a life of utter failure and disappointment was his. 

He would sincerely have risen, but he sunk.

He would sincerely have been rich, but he lost everything.

What a wasted life!

Yet the life of one who knew better things but did them not; who knew that the world was vanity, yet followed it;

Who knew that Israel's portion was the best, yet chose that of Moab; who knew the true God and the true Messiah, but preferred the idolatries of Israel's enemies.

He saw Him from the top of the rocks, but that was all.

He got a passing glimpse of the cross, but no more.

It was all he saw of the way of life, before he plunged into death and woe.
 
I. He wanted to serve two masters.

These were the same as the Lord in after days designated God and mammon. He wanted not to offend either; to please both. 

He was like Issachar crouching between two burdens. But it would not do.

He failed. Such is the certain failure of all who make the like attempt. "You cannot serve God and mammon."

He loved the one master, mammon; and he dreaded the other; but would sincerely do the will of both.

He could not afford to lose the favor of either. Miserable life! More miserable death!

The life and death of one whose whole career was one long attempt to do the bidding both of God and the devil.
 
II. He wanted to earn two kinds of wages.

The wages of righteousness and the wages of unrighteousness were both in his eyes; he would sincerely have the pay both of God and of the devil.

2Pe 2:15  Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

He was unwilling to do or say anything which would deprive him of either. 

He was as cautious and cunning as he was covetous.

He would not work without wages; and he would work for a hundred masters if they would only pay him well.

How like many so-called "religious" men among ourselves.
 
III. He wanted to do two opposite things at the same time.

He wished both to bless and to curse.

He was willing to do either according as it might serve his interests.

The only question with him was, "Would it pay?"

If the blessing would pay, he would take it; if the curse would pay, he would take it.

If both would pay, he would take them both.

Blessing and cursing were both alike to him, confessing and denying the true God, worshiping Baal or Jehovah, it mattered not, if by "this craft he could have his wealth."

So with many among us. If Sabbath-keeping will pay, they will keep the Sabbath; if Sabbath-breaking will pay, they will break the Sabbath.

True Balaams– without principle, without faith, and without fear!
 
IV. He wanted two kinds of friendship.

He would sincerely be friends with everybody. Perhaps he was timid; of those whom Scripture calls "fearful"

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 

Perhaps, also, he was ambitious, and sought great things for himself wherever these could be obtained...

Jer 45:5  And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.

Certainly he had before him "the fear of man which brings a snare," and the love of man's approbation which brings no less a snare;

He dreaded Israel's God, of whom he knew much, but he dreaded also Moab's gods, though whether he really believed in them we know not.

Made up of these contradictions, and acting not by faith but unbelief, he tried to secure the friendship of all whom he counted great, whether in heaven or in earth.

He shut his eyes not only to the sin but to the impossibility of such a course;

He saw not that the friendship of the world is the enemy of God, and that whoever will be the friend of the world must be the enemy of God.
 
V. He wanted to have two religions.

He saw religion to be a paying concern, a profitable trade, and he was willing to accept it from anybody or everybody, to adopt it from any quarter if it would but raise him in the world, and make his fortune.

Perhaps he thought all religions equally right or equally wrong, equally true or equally false.

He would rather not offend any god if lie could help it.

He would make concessions to "religious prejudices" of any kind if the prejudiced people will only help him on.

He was like Erasmus of old, whom a German writer thus describes– "Erasmus belongs to that species of writers who have all the desire to build God a magnificent church; at the same time, however, not giving the devil any offense...

To whom, accordingly, they set up a neat little chapel close by, where you can offer him some touch of sacrifice at a time, and practice a quiet household devotion for him without disturbance."
 
Such was Balaam; two gods and two religions he wanted to have.

But this double service, and double friendship, and double religion would not do.

He could make nothing by them. They profited him nothing either in this life or that to come.

His end was with the ungodly, his portion with the enemies of Israel.

And his soul, where could it be? Not with Israel's God, or Israel's Christ, or in Israel's heaven.

He reaped what he sowed.

He was a good specimen of multitudes in these last days.

An educated and intelligent man, shrewd and quick-seeing, of respectable character, high in favor with the rich and great, a religious man, too, after a fashion, not unsound in creed so far, for he acknowledges Jehovah as the true God.
 
But he is fond of the world, fond of money, fond of preferment; one that would not let his religion stand in the way of his advancement; who could pocket all scruples if he could pocket a little gold along with them;

Hollow of heart, but with a fair outside; just an Erasmus; no Luther, no Calvin, no Knox, no confessor, no martyr.

His worldly interests are the main thing to him.

He would rather not risk offending God, but yet he would not like to lose Balak's rewards and honors.
 
He would rather not take up his cross, nor deny himself, nor forsake all for his God.

Religion with him is not just a thing to be suffered for-at least if he can help it.

So is it with multitudes among us. They want as much religion as will save them from hell; not an atom more.

The world is their real God; gold is their idol; it is in mammon's temple that they worship.

Love God with all their heart! They don't so much as understand the meaning of such a thing. 

Sacrifice riches, place, honor, friends to Christ! They scoff at the thing as madness.

Oh, be on the side of God, out and out. Don't trifle with religion.
 
Don't mock God and Christ.

Love not the world.

Be religious in your inmost soul.

Don't mistake sentimentalism for religion, or a good character for the new birth.

You may go very far and yet not be a Christian.

You may follow Christ in some things; but if not in all, what is your following worth?

This world or the world to come, that is the alternative; not this world and the world to come.

Christ all or nothing. 

The soul more precious than worlds, or utterly worthless. 

No middle ground; no half-discipleship; no compromise.

No. The friendship of the world is enmity with God.

Come out and be separate. The new birth, or no religion at all.
Look to your latter end! 

What is it to be?

Where is it to be?

With whom is it to be?

Anticipate your eternity.

Is it to be darkness or light, shame or glory?

Oh make sure, make sure!

Do not sear your conscience by praying Balaam's prayer, "Let me die the death of the righteous."

What will that avail you?

It is the life of the righteous that God is calling you to lead and he will take care of your death.

Decide, halt not; else surely yours will be a wretched life and a still more wretched death.

What will gold, or purple, or honor do for you when you lie down to die, or rise up to be judged? 

~Horatius Bonar~

Help From Without

                                                   
Yesterday's promise secured us strength for what we have to do, but this guarantees us aid in cases where we cannot act alone.

The LORD says, "I will help thee."

Strength within is supplemented by help without.

God can raise us up allies in our warfare if so it seems good in His sight;

And even if He does not send us human assistance, He Himself will be at our side, and this is better still.

Our August Ally is better than legions of mortal helpers.
 
His help is timely: He is a very present help in time of trouble. 

His help is very wise: He knows how to give each man help meet and fit for him.

His help is most effectual, though vain is the help of man.

His help is more than help, for He bears all the burden and supplies all the need.

The LORD is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me.
 
Because He has already been our help, we feel confidence in Him for the present and the future.

Our prayer is, "LORD, by thou my helper";

Our experience is, "The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities"; 

Our expectation is, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, whence cometh my help";

And our song soon will be, "Thou, LORD, hast holden me."

~Charles Spurgeon~

In Calm Repose

Hos 2:18  And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.

Yes, the saints are to have peace.

The passage from which this gracious word is taken speaks of peace with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground.

This is peace with earthly enemies, with mysterious evils, and with little annoyances!

Any of these might keep us from lying down, but none of them shall do so.

The LORD will quite destroy those things which threaten His people: "I will break the bow and the sword, and the battle out of the earth."

Peace will be profound indeed when all the instruments of disquiet are broken to pieces.

With this peace will come rest, "So he giveth his beloved sleep."

Fully supplied and divinely quieted, believers lie down in calm repose. This rest will be a safe one.

It is one thing to lie down but quite another "to lie down safely."

We are brought to the land of promise, the house of the Father, the chamber of love, and the bosom of Christ: surely we may now "lie down safely."

It is safer for a believer to lie down in peace than to sit up and worry.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, We never rest till the Comforter makes us lie down.

~Charles Spurgeon~