Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Scripture: I Samuel 16:7; Matthew 5:8.A study based on chapter 10 of D. MartynLloyd-Jones' Studies in the Sermon on theMount, Volume I, BLESSED ARE THEPURE IN HEART.Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that thegospel of Jesus Christ, in all its emphasis,concerns the heart. The heart includes notonly our affections and emotions, but alsothe mind and the will. The whole man, inall his feelings, thoughts, purposes, anddeterminations, is the heart.What does Jeremiah 17:9 tell aboutthe condition of the heart?How did the heart come to be in suchwretched condition? Romans 5:12.Will education or improved environmentchange the heart? John 3:3.Read Psalm 86:11. The pure heart isone that is single, not divided in itsdevotion. It is cleansed and like unto ChristHimself. Dr. Lloyd-Jones stresses the needfor the preaching of "holiness, withoutwhich no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews12:14). He is distressed that some peopleobject to the preaching of holiness, whenits object, indeed the whole object ofChristianity, is to bring us to see God.Reality for the Christian is to see"Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27).Can you think of several ways in which wesee God in this life? But some day we shallsee Him face to face! Is this the supremehope and aim of your life? Read I John3:2,3. What admonition is given here tothose who would see God?Can I purify my own heart?Philippians 2:13. What is my responsibility?James 4:8; Romans 8:13. Do Irealize and mourn about the impurity ofmy heart?Pray together Psalm 51.LORD'S DAY REFLECTIONSR. K. ATCHISONHE STOLE THEIR HEARTSII Samuel 15:6 — "So Absalom stole thehearts of the men of Israel."There is no more despicable trait inj character than that of perfidy. There isnothing sadder in its common sequences. Itis something that men of good purposecannot forget, and that causes men of evilmind to lose the little respect they mayhave held for its perpetrator.Surely David the king had fallenupon evil days. His kingdom was in a stateof revolution. Many of his subjects were inopen rebellion, and multitudes weresulking secretly in their tents. The saddestI of all was the fact that his own householdl was against him, and plotting for hisdownfall.We have some respect for an openfighter, but none for the man whosemethods will not bear the light of day.Absalom adopted the latter. He stood inthe way of the gate in the very earlymorning, and was ready with his sympathyfor the multitude of grieved ones whopassed through, no matter what theirtroubles might be. He told them what anunfortunate thing it was that he was not ina position to render the aid he would like,and what he would do if he were elevatedto a position of authority. "Oh that I weremade judge over the land, that every manwhich hath any suit or cause might comeunto me, and I would do him justice!" SoAbsalom stole the hearts of the men ofIsrael! It is a story of tragedy. Sorrowmarks every step of its progress, pathosand woe form a wake to its conclusion. Abroken-hearted king, whose paternal loveabides, utters the plaintive cry: "WouldGod I had died for thee, O Absalom, myson, my son!"But the one thing we cannot forget inthis sad story is the subtilty, the falseness,the perfidy of this young man, who wouldundermine constituted authority by suchmethods as he employed. And when thatauthority was his father's, our condemnationis justly multiplied. It is in KingLear that we read:"How sharper than a serpent'stooth, it isTo have a thankless child."And surely the wisdom of this statementwas verified long before the bard of Avonever wrote, in the bitter grief of David overthe unholy ambition of Absalom.We have our own lesson to learn. Letfairness characterize our acts, and let ourends be gained without resorting toduplicity. If we cannot reach the heights towhich we aspire by being true to our fellowmen, let the rewards be given to those whoare more worthy to enjoy them.MOTHERII Timothy 1:5 — "When I call toremembrance the unfeigned faith that is inthee, which dwelt first in thy grandmotherLois, and thy mother Eunice."There is no sweeter word than this.We hang it in the chambers of memory,and lisp it lovingly in our mature years asthe child does in the morning time of life.There has been much said and writtenabout the influence of womanhood in theprogress of civilization, but no one canhave the temerity to say that the subjecthas been overdone. It confronts us onevery page of history. The influence of themother is usually found somewhere inevery conquest of her sons. She hassupplied the urge that has given man hisimpetus. The familiar words of WilliamRoss Wallace tell us who it is that rules theworld:"They say that man is mighty,He governs land and seaHe wields a mighty scepterO'er lesser powers that be;But a mightier power and strongerMan from his throne has hurled,For the hand that rocks the cradleIs the hand that rules the world."Paul gives a good deal of the creditfor the strong, unfeigned faith of Timothyto his maternal forebears. We owe much tothose who plant the graces in our hearts —we mean here the human instrumentalities— and among all these there is nonecomparable to a godly mother. Paul admiredTimothy. He loved him. But he wasnot blind to the fact that Timothy had arich heritage, and was a fit receptacle forthe grace of God because of the highcharacter upon which his life was built.Faith is a divine gift, but the human heart,like fertile soil, is often made ready byhuman hands.Benjamin West was a great painter.When his pictures finally graced the wallsof a great gallery, someone spoke words ofcongratulation and received the reply. "Isucceeded because my mother praised mewhen my drawings were crude. It was shewho bade me go on." Abraham Lincolnsaid, "All I am I owe to my angel mother."So we might go on. History is full ofits tributes, both direct and implied, to theinfluence of motherhood in the marchmind. Here and there in the Word of Godher love and influence shine with effulgence.Looking back to Calvary we findthe word exalted by the Redeemer whenHe committed His mother to the care ofthe beloved disciple.JOY AND PEACERomans 15:13 — "Now the God of hopefillyou with all joy and peace in believing."Genuine happiness always holdsamong its elements joy and peace. Thesweet consulations of Christian experienceinclude the same ingredients — joy in theLord Jesus Christ, and peace of conscience-fruitsof the Spirit. There may bean outward manifestation of joy the sourceof which is superficial, but it is a permanentquality only when peace reigns inthe soul. This prayer of the apostle unfoldsthis spiritual security in all its richness. Joyand peace are in this benediction of his asinseparable qualities. What a wonderfulverse it is! Hope, joy, peace, all of thempossessions whose value cannot bemeasured!Paul here makes use of a title notaltogether common — the God of hope.That is, He is the God of our hope.Revelation — the Word of God — opensup this hope to us. God's Word has beencalled the window of the soul, for withoutit we could have neither hope, nor joy, norpeace, nor could we indeed form anyconception of the mercy and love whichthe title implies. If we read the fourth verseof this chapter, we shall discover that Godsee page 15IUNE 2. 197113