I want to commend this sermon to you. It is probably one of my favorite sermons I have ever read. It was given to me by my friend Wylie Fulton. The author is Rimmerman Sjojoerdsma. He was the great grandfather of a friend of our family Jane Fulton. Please read it when you have time to meditate on its rich truths. I pray that God will use it to thr praise of the glory of His grace.
BY GOD ARE ALL THINGS POSSIBLE
"And He said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Luke 18: 27.
When Sennacherib, the king of Assyria surrounded Jerusalem with a great multitude, it seemed impossible for Hezekiah to deliver himself, his people and his city out of this superior power. This distressed him, especially because of the slander and blasphemy of the enemy, so that Hezekiah said, "The children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth". (Isa. 37: 3.) This led him into prayer and supplication to God.
When Nebuchadnezzar demanded a matter, namely the telling of a dream and its interpretation, a matter which was impossible for men, not only for all the wise men of Babylon, but also for Daniel and his friends, for Daniel knew that in him was no wisdom above all others, it led Daniel and his friends to prayer and supplication to receive grace in this matter, so that they and the wise men would not be destroyed. He said, "The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets." (Dan. 2, 27, 28.) God Himself had as that God in His mercy revealed this secret in and to Daniel. For this reason he says, "Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are His."(Dan. 2: 20.) As Daniel knew that there was a God mighty to save, so did king Hezekiah. We hear that in his prayer to God: "O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubim! Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; Thou hast made heaven and earth." (Isa. 37: 16.)
The impossibility in man himself, and the impotence to be saved or to save himself out of the hands of the stronger enemy and from the threatened evil, leads the soul into distress, and into fear, and causes it to look about for a Savior and deliverer.
When Esau with four hundred men met Jacob, Jacob feared greatly. He had neither wisdom nor power to meet his enemy. Therefore it led him to prayer and supplication to God, and he said, "Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, and the mother with the children." (Gen. 32: 11.)
The impossibility of helping ourselves out of orthrough a situation successfully, leads men to sigh and cry and wrestle. An almighty act of God, yea a miracle must take place. An angel of the Lord must go out to slay 185,000 Assyrians to deliver Hezekiah and Jerusalem. The angel of the Covenant must bless Jacob, and make Esau harmless, thus working a miracle for Jacob, to his benefit. The mysteries of God must be revealed to Daniel, as the wisdom of God, and as a power and an almighty act of God to save Daniel and his friends from the wrath of King Nebuchadnezzar, so that he might show them mercy and spare their lives. Thus the Lord Jesus must intercede as Mediator for a soul distressed by his guilt, sighing because of the curse of the law and trembling for the judgment to come. Jesus has indeed intercede for His people as their Surety and Mediator, but this secret must be revealed by Himself to the soul personally. In the wrestling between God and the soul only the Angel of the Covenant can give the blessing. The Lord Jesus Christ alone can deliver,save and give salvation. Yea, He alone can give a blessing as Jacob received. "And He blessed himthere, And Jacob called the name of the place,Peniel", for said he, "I have seen God face toface, and my life is preserved." (Gen. 32: 30.)
In ourselves we are powerless to turn away any evil from us; to withstand the enemy, to save oursouls from death and hell, and from the curse of the law and the wrath of God. We are all thus. And that God, Who reveals secrets, must also reveal our miserable and totally helpless condition to us, so that we will see and feel that we are in the power of the prince of hell, and feel and know our total impotence and weakness, so that we shall fear lest we be endlessly destroyed by the stream of sin and the power of the devil. No human wisdom, no power of the creature can deliver the soul out of this condition. Whatever we may try, nothing can avail to the salvation of the soul, so that for a convinced sinner it becomes an impossible thing to be saved. "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." (Ps. 49: 7.)
"And He said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Luke 18: 27.
In this chapter we find Jesus defining the way of life very narrowly. The self-righteous Phariseewho thanked God that he was not as wicked as other men, who fasted and tithed conscientiously, even with all his virtues for which he thanked God, could not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Also in Matth. 5: 20 we read, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."Again we read the words of the Lord, "Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." (Luke 18: 17.) This again is a wonderful thing. That a little child becomes big is a natural thing, but for a big person to become little is contrary to nature. For an adult person to become a child with all the characteristics of a child is a miracle of God Himself, for this happens only in regeneration. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. As in nature there can be no child without birth, so in grace there can be no child, no heir in Christ without a spiritual birth. Jesus here presents a child in his weakness, simplicity, helplessness, dependency,tenderness and innocence. He must be carried, fed, clothed or unclothed, he is one who cannot keep alive his own soul, in a word, he is entirelybdependent and can do nothing for himself. Thus it is also in grace. The living child is in God's care-God cares for him, carries and cherishes him, but also punishes, chastizes and instructs him. Hence he is under the care and protection of God. Who gives him what is good and withholds from him that which could be evil or harmful to him.
Well might Nicodemus be amazed at what Jesus told him, and the rich young man be very sorrowful, because the possibility of entering heaven by a way of keeping the commandments and observing of virtues and duties was cut off. The self-righteous Pharisee was sent away empty, also the studious and virtuous young man who had only an imagined foundation, for he would enter eternal life by his own works. He asked, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He was sadly disappointed, for he had to lose all he had. Instead of being rich, he had to become poor, instead of being powerful in the keeping of God's commandments he must become a helpless child, as Jesus had just shown. A little farther the Lord says, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God." And they that heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus said, "The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God."
In the first place then regeneration is a necessity which must take place in man if he ever shall be saved. But this regeneration is the work of God, the Holy Spirit. "The flesh profiteth nothing, it is the Spirit that quickeneth." To quicken the dead is possible with God, but impossible with men. "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." (Eph. 2: 1.) "For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will." (John 5: 21.) To forgive sins is impossible with man, but, "that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins" he spoke with power and healed the sick.
To create true peace in the heart is impossible with man but is possible with God-'I make peace and create evil; I the Lord do all these things." (Isa. 45: 7.) To bring men true comfort is impossible with man, but possible with God, for only the Spirit of God is the bringer of good tidings to speak comfortably to Jerusalem. None can open the sinner's blind eyes to look into God's holy law and see his misshapen lump of sin and iniquity, his corruption and uncleanness from his head to his feet, but God alone. None other can show God's perfect holiness and at the same time His severe justice. This is the work of God-He alone, appearing to the sinner in His holy law, causes the sinner to cry, "Woe is me! for I am undone." All matters concerning the way of salvation are impossible with men, but possible alone with God, for it is His blessed work to seek and to save that which is lost. In this my heart desires to rest that God alone is the First and the Last, the Beginning, the Middle and the End. This I have learned to know and experience that if I should ever be converted, the Lord must do it; that if my soul should ever be saved, He alone must complete the work. This wonder of God's omnipotence would be too great for me, for I must admit the impossibility both to be saved and to believe that God would ever do so to me. The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. To give sight to the spiritually blind is possible with God, but only with God alone.
The publican had a view and feeling and knowledge of his sinfulness, and therefore of his unworthiness, but also of the holiness, righteousness and purity of God. For this reason he would not lift up his eyes to heaven (for the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork) but he smote upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." The only thing he needed he could not possibly give himself nor accept it, nor apply it. No indeed, God must give him grace, or he must perish in his sins.
So it was also with Queen Esther-it was a matter of life or death, receiving grace or perishing. She found grace in the sight of the king, grace for her people. If the king had not shown his mercy, she and her people would have perished. The sentence upon the Jews had been pronounced and established, yea, sealed with the king's ring. Thus it is with every Jew or true Israelite, who is under the condemnation of the law. These shall nevertheless live by grace and be freed from the law of sin and death. These also shall come as the publican, with weeping to the King of kings, praying, "Have mercy, O God, have mercy." Yea, then the Lord shall lead them with weeping and supplications, and they shall comewith trembling.
When sin takes occasion by the commandment so that sin appears in us and we are truly led into that experience and are hopelessly lost in ourselves and it becomes an impossible thing to be saved and impossible for us personally to believe that God shall be gracious to us in Christ, then God alone in His omnipotence must make the impossible possible.
Here all possibility by the creature is cut off. It is much more a feeling and a view of the danger of perishing, especially when God revealsHimself in His holy law and His zeal burns as a fire in his soul. Neither can the convinced sinner find any reason to expect grace, neither in God nor in himself. It is impossible for such a soul to believe that he shall be saved and go to heaven, for he feels the wrath of God upon his sins revealed in his soul. The pains of hell and the snares of death compass and bind his soul. He finds trouble and sorrow. In this state he cries and sighs and groans, "O Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul-Oh, have mercy upon me, or I perish." Only the tender mercy of God, God's grace and pardon in the blood of the Lord Jesus can save a soul. Who can be saved by another way?
The question is, "Have we knowledge of these matters? Is the truth of these words of the Lord Jesus experienced in our hearts? Have we ever known the necessity of being converted and in that state felt our inability to convert ourselves so that it truly was the prayer of our heart. "Oh Lord, convert me?" Have we ever known a deep longing and necessity to be delivered; to be delivered from the curse, from wrath, from judgement, from death, hel and devil; to be delivered from ourselves, from our loathsome, sinful, wicked and God-dishonoring heart? Have all these thingsbecome unbearable burdens under which we must, if not delivered, perish? Have we truly learned, felt and experienced that we cannot save or deliver ourselves; that sin and Satan are too strong for us, and that our flesh and blood are not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be? Are we truly anxious and desirous to be delivered from this state of condemnation, of sin and of death? Do we feel our inability to deliver ourselves? Are we truly desirous after God's salvation, after His communion and favor? Do we long for Christ to be revealed to us as the Saviour of our soul? Do we see more beauty in Him than in the children of men? Has Christ Jesus become all to me in the desire of my soul? Is that my sighing and the contents of my supplication that He may speak peace to my soul, that I may take refuge under the shadow of His wings, and be delivered from the pit of corruption?
Am I and are you truly convinced of the impotence of the creature, so that we cannot take or accept, or appropriate these things unto our selves; that we cannot come where we desire to come, or to enjoy what we long for? It is not only so that he cannot bring that enjoying, that tasting of God's salvation into his soul, but neither can he make active the longing and desiring, the hungering and thirsting after Christ; or after the righteousness of God. No, indeed, it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil. 2: 13.) Both the desire and the enjoyment, both the hungering and the feeding, both the clothing and the unclothing, both the soul's sorrow and the soul's happiness.
"How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" What riches? Imagined riches; the appearance without the essence. His riches are: his own righteousness, which is none; the imagination of his own goodness, which is deceitful; his riches in his carnal and formal religion, which is no religion; his zeal for doing duties and good works such as giving alms, which are appreciated by men but which have no value in the sight of God. All these things are the riches of the self-righteous man; not to be an extortioner, an adulterer, a thief nor a publican. What a decorated rich person, how much goods he thinks he has! Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.
Such a person is no stranger to the child of God. They meet him every day, whether at home or abroad. "But this son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." All these matters named above and their possessor shall die and be buried in the grave. Then all imagined goods and riches of virtues and duties, formal religion and self righteousness, carnal religion and hypocrisy shall turn to dust with the man of sin, and leave the soul naked and empty before the all-seeing Judge. Only "grace shall reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 5: 21.) The publican asked only for mercy, he needed naught else, when all was taken from him and he felt condemned to death. Thus we find it with all God's people whose name we find in the Bible, yea, withall God's people who have lived, do live and shall live on earth. They are those who see their spiritual poverty, blindness and deadness. They feel and experience the rod of God's indignation over their sins and are purified by that rod so that they can no more trust in their self-righteousness and selfconfidence, and all their righteousness becomes as filthy rags and themselves as an unclean thing. (Isa. 64: 6.) Thus the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. (Isa. 3: 17.) By the discipline of the law they shall bebrought to Christ.
All the things God does, His ways, His dealings in the salvation of His people are impossible with men, and also too wonderful and incomprehensible. "He doeth great things that we cannot comprehend." (Job 37: 5.) God is all in all. He alone must give and do everything for His people. He shall guide them with His counsel and afterwards receive them to glory.
And they who are taught by the Lord want tobe instructed and led by His Spirit and kept by the power of God unto the day of Jesus Christ. In that day they shal praise Him perfectly and sing, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give glory, for Thy mercy and for Thy truth's sake." (Ps. 115: 1.) But even in this life they experience and feel at times that they cannot work or give life and faith in their souls. No, indeed! It is as Moses said to the children of Israel, "The Lord shal fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." (Ex. 14: 14.) Everything that must take place, and all that must be done to save a sinner and bring him to glory is done by God alone. God has first chosen a people in Christ His beloved Son, having pre- destinated them to be His children. Them also in time He called and quickened by the Spirit of Christ. They become partakers of His grace, delivered by His blood, and their sins are forgiven because Jesus Christ, sent by the Father gave satisfaction. If these truths are to become known and personally experienced as a work of God in our soul, the Lord must teach us and reveal it to our soul by His Spirit. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." (Eph.1: 17, 18.) All things then that are foreordained are in time revealed according to the counsel of God's will, not the will of man, nor the wisdom and strength of men. No, indeed, this the Lord teaches His people well, when they first discover their cursed will, their stiffneckedness and contrariness. If it is dependent upon their wil, it would be impossible to be saved-Paul says, "To will is present with me," and that is true of all God's children after the Lord has given them that will by creating in them a new life, like unto God and God's will. But the flesh is not subject to the law of God, and thus there is by nature no will unto good in man in those things that are God's. The natural, unregenerate man says, "depart from me for desire not the knowledge of Thy ways." He has a desire to evil and to all sin, that is his natural life, a life that leads to death and condemnation. The unconverted feed themselves with the things of this world and of sin, and desires to fill his belly with all uncleanness. God's people will gladly admit it if they have learned to know their unconverted state and condition, when they have dis- covered their loathsomeness and abominable wickedness. They see and feel how they have walked contrary unto God, fulfiling the desires of the flesh and the mind, for which God's wrath over their sins was revealed. They were by nature children of wrath even as others. They are also under the curse of the law and under condemnation, they are become unprofitable, they have perverted their way and corrupted their deeds by their sins and iniquities. Therefore they, too, with the whole world are condemnable before God. The Lord teaches His people to know and feel this by the power of sin, namely by the law. The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. They make sin alive and discover all evil and wickedness which before was hidden and neither seen nor heard. The commandment not only makes sin alive, but is also a messenger of the Lord God, to present the sinner as guilty and condemnable before the heavenly Judge. It proclaims God's righteousness, holiness and justice in the sinners heart. Thus God's righteousness revealed in and by the law calls for vengeance. God will not hold the guilty sinner guiltless. His holiness will not permit the filthy and unclean sinner to approach unto Him, and he cries, "Woe is me! for mine eyes have seen the Lord of hosts," and who shall see and meet Him in this way and live? Death and damnation stare the sinner in the face and he says, "Woe is me! I perish!" There never was a power or will in man to come to the possibility of this knowledge and this Revelation. The creature in his state of nature may seem to agree with the truth of the Bible, and even be zealous for it, but it is only a carnal zeal. And whatever he may do to be saved thereby and I go to heaven all is fruitless, for he can give God no ransom for his soul, nor for the soul of his brother. In that respect the way of salvation is cut off and impossible for man to find. The rich young man and the Pharisee had never experienced that impossibility for themselves. Thus every man by nature seeks to establish his own self-righteousness. No matter how zealous he is in keeping the law, in praying, fasting, and almsgiving, how righteous he may seem to be in the eyes of men and in his own eyes, how much he expects fruit upon his labor, and a reward, namely heaven, for al the good things he has done, yet, having loved the wages of unrighteousness, he shall receive the reward of unrighteousness. Thus it was with Rechab and Baana who brought the head of Ishbosheth to David, thinking they would be given a reward for their deed. Instead they received the reward of their iniquity, and were hanged. It is absolutely impossible for a person to bring himself into God's favor. There is nothing in and about man, that can please God. He is become abominable in the pure eyes of God.
"God looked from heav'n above, On all the human race
To see if any understand, If any sought His face.
They all are gone aside, Corruption doth abound.
There is not one that doeth good, Not even one is found." Psalm 53.
Man can nor wil please God. He can nor will save his soul in the way by which the Lord saves His people. God chastizes, uncovers, yea, empties His people of all their imagined goods, whereby their confidence shall be rooted out of their Tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors (Job 18: 14.) Then all their righteousnesses are asnfilthy rags, and they become as an unclean thing. Oh, how shall they escape the wrath of God? Where is the way of escape and the way of peace? Everything seems impossible, irreparably lost and hopeless from their side. Oh, if they could but find forgiveness and reconciliation instead of conviction of judgment. Oh that the Lord might have mercy on me! What a wonder that would be! Oh, how they are chastened by the law, sentenced and put to death, for the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproof of instruction are the way of life. (Prov. 6: 23.) There is nothing left to them but crying, lametning, and sighing. Oh, Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul." The publican went down to his house justified. Grace alone and pardon in the blood of Jesus Christ can save. Yea, that alone is what each child of God desires, needs and asks for. It is not theirs to take, but it must be given them by the Lord to their salvation."For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Eph. 2: 8.) God then justifies. He Himself is the Giver. Only with Him it is possible to be saved.
And now the prayer of God's people continually is, "O Lord, look down in mercy upon me." Or, "look down on me in favor, not because of my worthiness, but according to the greatness of Thy goodness and mercy." "My soul waits for Thy blessing. It is not possible for me to bring true peace in my heart, the peace I long to have and enjoy. But neither is it possible for me to drive away the sin and curse out of my heart, that sin of which I am so tired. But with Thee all things are possible, Lord, and wilt Thou do all things for me, for the salvation of my soul and the glory of Thy great Name. Make me to know Thee more in Thy divine power and omnipotence, but also in the riches of Thy mercies and loving kindness es, so that I may sing of Thy goodness and tell of Thy power. For Thou, O Lord, hast done wonder ful and great things for Thy people." For He Himself leads His people and causes them to die by the law to themselves and all their good works, so that no life or peace is left to them, and all hope of life and salvation is cut off. Thus the Lord removes the dross from the silver to bring forth a vessel of mercy to His honor. For truly we are as clay in God's hands, and shal be nothing but what God makes of us. For as He killeth, so He maketh alive. And truly, nothing is impossible with God, but we must learn to know and experience the impossibility, if a wonder of God shall be revealed in us. It is God's purpose to lead His people out of the burning fire, out of darkness, and out of the storm and to bring them to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God. Yea, He alone leads forth those that are bound in chains. "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1: 13, 14.) By His Spirit He makes alive and gives the soul a good hope anchored in Him alone. How the uncircumcised heart is humbled by this efficacious and clear revelation of love and mercy. Oh, when it pleases the Lord by His Spirit to proclaim to the poor soul liberty and remission of sins, flowing forth only from God's eternal love, the soul rejoices in God as in the highest good, and finds this to be true riches in life and in death. Never does she wish to depart from this, but she desires to rest in the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. For this all material things must be set aside, flesh and blood must fail. Nothing at all can please the soul but the object of its love: Jesus alone as Redeemer and Mediator, and as the only Saviour and precious Surety. He alone is the true peace, the only Comforter, yea He alone filleth all in all. Indeed, He is altogether lovely. All outside of Him is loss and dung, unrest and discord, sin and unbelief, satanic or carnal, and cannot please God. Nor does it please my soul, but plagues it, discomforts it and afflicts it. All things outside of Christ can sadden my soul and make me sigh and long to be delivered of them. I cannot drive out that which discomforts and alicts, distresses and plagues my soul. It is impossible for me. And to bring into my heart the love of God and His grace in Christ, and to keep it there, so that I can continuously partake of it and enjoy, that is just as impossible. But I have experienced that all things are possible with God, for in my distress He heard my cry and came as my Deliverer and saved my soul. When I did not expect it He delivered my soul in love and gave me to drink from the cup of His eternal love.
"I know that the Lord is almighty, Supreme in dominion is He,
Performing His will and good pleasure In heav'n and in earth and the sea. " Psalm 135.
His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life, and of this favor God's people have experi- ence. They taste and see His goodness and grace and the life of God revealed in their soul. "Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you." (2 Cor. 13: 3.) And what causes God's children to sigh and yearn more for the blessed life of heaven than the first fruits of the Spirit which they receive from the blessed God, in and through the love of God granted to their souls in Christ. That place and that time is for them a house of God and a gate of heaven, a time of rejoicing and they want to build a tabernacle there to tarry in that place. Yea, a day in God's house is better than a thousand elsewhere; yea, a minute in His favor and blessed communion, in the communication of His love and mercy, and the fulness of His grace to the soul is worth more than all the corn and wine of this world, more than all these material, sensual and visible things. It is just these material, fleshly and earthly things that cause God's people to groan; it is the earth, the world, and their own flesh that keeps the soul in shackles, and causes it to long for deliverance. How impossible it is for them to break these material and carnal bands! It is also impossible and difficult to flee from all these things and to find rest for their souls. The way of life for God's people is narrow and the gate is strait, so strait that they learn to know by sad experience that flesh and blood and self cannot pass through that gate, and also that in walking on that narrow way flesh and blood oppose the soul and are unwiling to go on it, yea, even on the way to heaven all the powers of sin, satan, world, our own flesh, people and devils raise the sword to slay him.
Again, as far as man is concerned it is impossible to go in by this way and be saved. It is God the Lord alone who will guide His people and afterward receive them to glory. All things are against God's people on the way of life, all things would prevent them from entering: men and devils, sin and unbelief, their own evil and filthy heart from which continually issue all sins of unbelief and distrust, Satan to buffet them or to mislead them with flattering words, hatred and disdain of men, and especially their own "I" that in pride and ambition scorns this way, as do the other enemies of God. How flesh and heart must fail in this way, and therefore were it not that grace alone reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ, no soul would be saved. For this reason this aflicted and poor people of God shall live and die only by grace and by grace they shall inherit eternal life through the righteousness of Jesus Christ their Lord.
"No human might, no earthly pride, Delights the Lord above;
In them that fear Him He delights, In them that trust His love.
O Zion, praise the Lord thy God, His wondrous love confess;
He is thy glory and thy strength, He will thy children bless." Psalm 147.
This good hope through grace given by the Spirit of God in the hearts of His people, and
quickened by that same Spirit carries God's people to His throne of grace, and there alone do
they expect deliverance, salvation and peace. Nothing else can lead them through this way of trials and tribulations, but nor can anything but grace and righteousness through Jesus Christ save them and cause them to enter into His glory. Here the Lord gives His people a living desire by grace to grace, takes their heart with His love and sows in their heart a divine love that loves nothing but Him, and desires Him as Prophet, Priest and King, to be led by Him in the way that they should go. He draws their desire to Him, so that only He can please their soul. Thus He is the desire of their souls and their conversation is in heaven, from whence also they look for their Saviour. Here they live in hope, there in enjoyment, here in faith, soon by sight. Nothing on earth can fulfill their desire, nothing of time and sense can please their soul or give them peace. No, indeed, their life is hid with Christ in God, and they long for the manifestation, the enjoyment, and the fulfillment of it. That is their desire. They die to all earthly and material things, and consider them detrimental to them.
God's people await an uninterrupted felicity, an eternal enjoyment of gladness and joy, a blissful peace, and a revealed glory of their Savior. Also while waiting and awaiting God's people experience that they need patience, and that this must be given them by God. Insuperable oppression and objections that come upon them in this life often cause them to lose courage and cause heart and flesh to fail. Unless the Lord had been their help they would have fainted, not only because of their filthy sins which they continually discover in their heart, but also the cold indifference and apathy that accompanies such sin, and works together with that condemnable unbelief, and the whisperings of the prince of darkness. At such times the awful sins of unbelief, blasphemous thoughts injected by the devil, and the hatred and enmity in his own flesh reveal themselves in the heart, seemingly quenching the light and life of God. Oh, when we come into such trials and dificulties, when we become aware what a pesthouse of sin our hearts really are, then we get a low opinion of ourselves. Iniquities prevail, sin and Satan lift up the head, and God's people are powerless and incapable to deliver themselves from such a power of sin and Satan. The King of Zion must arise, ever and again to deliver His people and to save their souls from al the power of hell, of sin and of death, but also to renew them as in the days of old, and to give life to their souls.
Oh, if we rightly see what worthless dust we are, how unwilling we are and what enemies we are of the ways and works of God, then it becomes an impossible matter to enter into the kingdom of heaven, but then the possibility with God, His Omnipotence and sovereignty are revealed and made known in and to His people. Yea, of the greatness of His might and government there shall be no end. He puts down the mighty, the proud, daring heart of the hardened sinner, and causes him to fall before Him, puting his mouth in the dust. He turns like water-brooks the hearts of His people and plants His fear in them. He leads them under His dominion with supplication and weeping to Him as their only Redeemer and Saviour. He draws and leads them in the way they must go; He sustains and strengthens them. He has chosen a people from the beginning, He has ordained them to salvation, He has known them as His own, has called them and drawn them from the power of darkness to His marvelous light. He Himself has redeemed them, and purified and sanctified them by His own blood. These are loved by God in Christ, and He causes them to inherit a durable good, a heavenly glory, an eternal blessedness to the praise, and honor of His eternal glory. The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God.
"The God of Israel I will praise And all His glory show;
The righteous He will high exalt And bring the wicked low." Psalm 75.
Amen.
December, 1922
R. SJOERDSMA.