A sobering testimony for those sitting comfortably in the church.

O Lord God,
Thou art my protecting arm,
fortress, refuge, shield, buckler.

Fight for me and my foes must flee;
Uphold me and I cannot fall;
Strengthen me and I stand unmoved, unmovable;
Equip me and I shall receive no wound;
Stand by me and Satan will depart;
Anoint my lips with a song of salvation
and I shall shout Thy victory;
Give me abhorrence of all evil,
as a vile monster that defies Thy law,
casts off Thy yoke,
defiles my nature,
spreads misery.

Teach me to look to Jesus on His cross
and so to know sin’s loathsomeness in Thy sight.

There is no pardon but through Thy Son’s death,
no cleansing but in His precious blood,
no atonement but His to expiate evil.

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Let me show, “what the love of the Bible really is.”

I think it of great importance to have clear views on this point. It is precisely here that mistakes about love begin. Thousands delude themselves with the idea that they have “love,” when they don’t due from a downright ignorance of Scripture. Their love is not the love described in the Bible.

(a) The love of the Bible does not consist in giving to the poor. It is a common delusion to suppose that it does. Yet Paul tells us plainly that a man may “give all he possesses to the poor” (1 Corinthians 13:3), and not have love. That a loving man will “remember the poor,” there can be no question. (Galatians 6:10) That he will do all he can to assist them, relieve them, and lighten their burdens, I don’t for a moment deny. All I say is that this does not make up “love.” It is easy to spend a fortune in giving away money, and soup, and bread, and blankets, and clothing, and yet to be utterly destitute of Bible love.

(b) The love of the Bible does not consist in never disapproving anybody’s conduct. Here is another very common delusion! Read the rest of this entry »

Holly D. Dye is the founding contributor and General Editor of Refocusing Our Eyes.

Who am I, O Lord that I should presume to direct Thy Hand?

Who am I to think I know what’s best for my life and at what point did it become my life?

It is Thine and Thine alone.

For Thou hast purchased me. Thou hast paid such a heavy price for me. I am Thy possession.

I have no rights except to obey Thy holy commands.

Who am I, O Lord to think my suffering is unbearable?

Have I resisted sin to the point of blood?

Have I borne such reproach for Thy Name that I have become physically marred by persecution?

Have I had to watch loved ones massacred before my eyes because I would not recant my faith?

Although my sighing is not hidden from Thee, help me to remember that my affliction is light and Thy grace restrains that which rages against me.

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Tags: Holly D. Dye, Holly Dye

O Lord,

May I…

Never fail to come to the knowledge of the truth,

Never rest in a system of doctrine, however scriptural, that does not bring or further salvation, or teach me to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, or help me to live soberly, righteously, godly;

Never rely on my own convictions and resolutions, but be strong in Thee and in Thy might;

Never cease to find Thy grace sufficient in all my duties, trials, and conflicts;

Never forget to repair to Thee in all my spiritual distresses and outward troubles, in all the dissatisfactions experienced in creature comforts;

Never fail to retreat to Him who is full of grace and truth, the Friend that loveth at all times, who is touched with the feelings of my infirmities, and can do exceeding abundantly for me;

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