June 8

Everlasting joy. (Isaiah 35:10)

I think there is a difference between happiness and joy. Happi-ness is caused by things which happen around me, and circumstances will mar it, but joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the dark; joy flows in the night as well as in the day; joy flows all through persecution and opposition; it is an unceasing fountain bubbling up in the heart; a secret spring which the world can’t see and don’t know anything about. The Lord gives His people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to Him.

June 7

Ye are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:14)

When Moses was in Egypt, to punish Pharaoh he turned the waters into blood. When Christ was on earth He turned the water into wine. That is the difference between law and grace. The law says, “Kill him”; grace says, “Forgive him.” Law says, “Condemn him”; grace says, “Love him.”

When the law came out of Horeb three thousand men were destroyed. (Ex. 32:28) At Pentecost, under grace, three thousand men found life. (Acts 2:41) What a difference! When Moses came to the burning bush, he was commanded to take the shoes from off his feet.

When the prodigal came home after sinning he was given a pair of shoes to put on his feet. I would a thousand times rather be under grace than under the law.

June 6

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

The word Paul used, properly translated, is “mirror.” Now, we see God, as it were, in a mirror, but then, face to face.

Suppose we knew nothing of the sun except what we saw of its light reflected from the moon?

Would we not wonder about its immense distance, about its dazzling splendor, about its life-giving power? But all that we see, the sun, the moon, the stars, the ocean, the earth, the flowers, and above all, man—are a grand mirror in which the perfection of God is imperfectly reflected.

June 5

Who is on the Lord’s side? (Exodus 32:26)

When I was in England in 1867, a friend happened to introduce me to a man from Dublin. Alluding to me, the latter said, “Is this young man all O O?” Said the London man, “What do you mean by O O?” Replied the Dublin man, “ls he Out-and-Out for Christ?” I tell you it burned down into my soul. It means a good deal to be O O for Christ.

June 4

Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest (Micah 2:10)

This world that some think is heaven, is the home of sin, a hospital of sorrow, a place that has nothing in it to satisfy the soul. Men go all over it and then Want to get out of it. The more men see of the world the less they think of it.

People soon grow tired of the best pleasures it has to offer. Someone has said that the world is a stormy sea, whose every wave is strewed with the wrecks of mortals that perish in it. Every time we breathe someone is dying. We all know that we are going to stay here but a very little while. Only the other life is enduring.

June 3

Waxed strong through faith. (Romans 4:20 ASV)

Real true faith is man’s weakness leaning on God’s strength. It is the Shepherd’s business to keep the sheep. Who ever heard of the sheep keeping the shepherd? People have an idea that they have to keep themselves and Christ too. It is a false idea. It is the work of the Shepherd to look after them, and take care of those who trust Him. An Irishman said, on one occasion, that he often trembled, but his Rock never did.

June 2

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:20-21)

Very few people are satisfied with earthly riches. Often the richer the man the greater the poverty. Somebody has said that getting riches brings care; keeping them brings trouble; abusing them brings guilt; and losing them brings sorrow.

It is a great mistake to make so much of riches as we do. But there are some riches that we cannot praise too much: that never pass away. They are the treasures laid up in heaven for those who truly belong to God.

June 1

My reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12)

If I understand things correctly, whenever you find men or women who are looking to be rewarded here for doing right, they are unqualified to work for God; because if they are looking for the applause of men, looking for reward in this life, it will disqualify them for the service of God.