A Week of Daily Bread

Have you seen Christ, who is the Truth? Has He been revealed to you, not by flesh and blood, but by the Spirit of our God? Then you know how true it is that in Him “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” – that He is the “Alpha and Omega,” the beginning and ending of all knowledge. But if you have not seen Christ, then you know nothing yet as you ought to know, all your knowledge is like a bridge without a keystone – like a system without a sun. What good will it do you in hell that you knew all the sciences of the world, and all the events of history, and all the busy politics of your little day? (Robert Murray McCheyne.)

“Come, and see the victories of the cross,” says old Matthew Henry, “Christ’s wounds are thy healings, His agonies thy repose, His conflicts thy conquests, His groans thy songs, His pains thine ease, His shame thy glory, His death thy life, His sufferings, thy salvation.” “Believers! Go on!” exhorts old John Mason, “your last step will be on the head of the old serpent. Crush it, and spring from the crushing into glory.”

Afflictions are God’s most effectual means to keep us from losing our way to our heavenly rest. Without this hedge of thorns on the right and left, we should hardly keep the way of heaven. If there be but one gap open, how ready we are to find it and turn out of the way. When we grow wanton, or worldly, or proud, how doth sickness or other affliction or trial reduce us? Every Christian, as well as Luther, may call affliction one of his best schoolmasters; and, with David, may say, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now have I kept thy word.” Many thousand recovered sinners may cry, O healthful sickness! O comfortable sorrows! O gainful hope! O enriching poverty! O blessed day that ever I was afflicted! (Richard Baxter.)

Free grace is the foundation of all spiritual and eternal mercies. Free grace is the solid bottom of all Christian comforts in this world. Were we to measure the love of God to us by our fruitfulness, or holiness, or humbleness, or heavenly-mindedness, or gracious thoughts towards Him how would our hope and our confidence every hour – yea, every moment in every hour – be staggered, if not completely vanquished! But all is of grace, of free grace, that the promise might be sure, and that our salvation might be safe. (Thomas Brooks.)

Where but in Christ can I find strength? The journey I have to take, the race I have to run, the warfare I have to accomplish, the duties I have to perform, the trials I have to bear. All these are not only above my natural powers, but even above the grace I possess, without fresh and constant supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. But He cries, “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Surely, therefore, shall one say, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength.” (William Jay.)

No love like Christ’s love! Yea, His love to us transcends His love to all other things. He loved us more than angels, for He would not put on their nature. He loved us more than heaven, for He left heaven to come and save us. He loved us more than riches and honour, for He chose poverty, and became of no reputation, to redeem us. He loved us more than the comforts of life, for He parted with these, and became a man of sorrows for our sake. He loved us more than His blood, for He willingly parted with that for us. He loved us more than His soul and body, for He gave both of these to be an offering for our sins. It is “The love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.” (John Willison.)

Attend diligently on the ordinances; yet beware of putting the ordinances in God’s place. How could the means of grace and ministers help thy soul, except the Lord should help? Christ Himself keeps the key of His wine-cellar. His ministering servants cannot so much as make you drink when you come to His house; and, therefore, poor soul, stop not short of Christ. Press through all the crowd of ordinances, and ask to see Jesus, to speak to Jesus, to touch Jesus. So will virtue come out from Him to you. (William Gurnall.)