“How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God!”(Psalm 139:17)

“My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

The apostle’s ‘thoughts’ were desponding ones, when his God whispered in his ear this precious thought of comfort. A thorn in the flesh—a messenger from Satan—had been sent to buffet him. We know not specially what this thorn may have been. It is purposely left indeterminate, that each may make an individual application to his own case and circumstances.

But who, in their diversified and chequered experience, has not to tell of some similar trial?—some dead fly in life’s otherwise fragrant ointment—some sorrow which casts a softened shadow over perhaps an otherwise sunny path? Infirm health, worldly loss, domestic anxiety, family bereavement, the discharge of arduous and painful duty, the treachery of tried and trusted friends, the sting of wounded pride or disappointed ambition, the fierce struggle with inward corruption and unmortified sin, the scorpion-dart of a violated and accusing conscience; the world all the time, perhaps little knowing or dreaming of the inward conflict, the life-long trial, the fountain of tears, though “a fountain sealed.”

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Abusive fellowships are often the most exciting Christian gatherings around — filled with dedicated, committed, enthusiastic leaders and members. Do not let enthusiasm and sincerity be the basis for approval. More often than not, abusive fellowships cannot be recognized by mere outward appearance. By discrediting facts, the leaders of such gatherings control information. Leaders may deny these practices — or marginalize them in some way. It is important to investigate any fellowship thoroughly.

Abusive fellowships often change the meaning of words. In these fellowships, “unity” commonly means agreement with the leaders opinions. Members are often told that they are “out of unity” when they disagree with the leaders’ opinions. Healthy fellowships understand that true unity means that

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There is a nameless charm there: we cannot describe or understand it: it is a sacred touch of nature, a throb in the breast that God has put there, and that cannot be taken away. The fatherhood is recognized by the childship of the child. And what is that spirit of a child—that sweet spirit that makes him recognize and love his father? I cannot tell you unless you are a child yourself, and then you will know. And what is “the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father?” I cannot tell you; but if you have felt it you will know it.

It is a sweet compound of faith that knows God to be my Father, love that loves him as my Father, joy that rejoices in him as my Father, fear that trembles to disobey him because he is my Father and a confident affection and trustfulness that relies upon him, and casts itself wholly upon him, because it knows by the infallible witness of the Holy Spirit, that Jehovah, the God of earth and heaven, is the Father of my heart.

Oh! have you ever felt the spirit of adoption? There is nought like it beneath the sky. Save heaven itself there is nought more blissful than to enjoy that spirit of adoption.

Oh! when the wind of trouble is blowing and waves of adversity are rising, and the ship is reeling to the rock how sweet then to say “My Father,” and to believe that his strong hand is on the helm!—when the bones are aching, and when the loins are filled with pain, and when the cup is brimming with wormwood and gall, to say “My Father,” and seeing that Father’s hand holding the cup to the lip, to drink it steadily to the very dregs because we can say, “My Father, not my will, but thine be done.”

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Is your conversion genuine? Honestly apply to yourself the following tests.

First, in the season of retirement from the noise and business of the world, or during the secret hours of the Sabbath, or in your secret devotions, what are your thoughts, what is the real temper of your mind?

Do you know God, commune with and delight in Him?

Is His Word precious, is prayer a welcome exercise?

Do you delight in God’s perfections and esteem Him for His absolute supremacy and sovereignty?

Do you feel and lament your remaining blindness and ignorance?

• Do you mourn over your lack of conformity to God’s law and your natural contrariety to it, and hate yourself for it?

• Do you watch and pray and fight against the corruption of your heart? Not indeed as you should, but do you really and sincerely do so at all?

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We see Him to be not only love itself, the God of all grace and the Father of mercies, but also:

Supreme, infinitely exalted above all creatures;

Sovereign, doing as He pleases, asking no one’s permission and giving no account of His actions;

Immutable, with Whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning;

Ineffably Holy, being of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity;

Inflexibly Just, so that He will by no means clear the guilty;

Omniscient, so that no secret can be concealed from Him;

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In this post, we will be addressing a very controversial topic and slaughter one of the modern church’s favorite sacred cows: the worship of “family” and family relationships. Notice the words of Jesus…

“‘If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
-Luke 14:26-27

A popular, but unscriptural, dogma of today’s church is the “family first” doctrine. Loosely defined and never Biblically supported, this teaching has gained unprecedented sentiment and acceptance in recent years. An amazing feat considering our text and another glaring proof of how unscripturally conditioned the professing church has become. The logic goes something like this: God ordained the “family,” therefore, anything that disrupts or otherwise pressures the “family” cannot be God. This false doctrine has become so pervasive and accepted, to challenge its legitimacy is seen as questioning orthodoxy. The end results of this fallacy? Family and marriage relationships often take precedent over God and His will; obedience and service to God are bypassed to appease these relationships.

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