The Night of Weeping

[brokenman]

“Now the soft peace-march beats, home, brothers, home.”

This is the joy of the saint. He has fought a good fight, he has

finished the course, he has kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid

up for him the crown of righteousness. His battle is over, and then

for him there are rest and home. Home! Yes, home. And what a

home for us to return to and abide in forever! A home prepared

before the foundation of the world, a home in the many mansions,

a home in the innermost circle of creation, nearest the throne and

heart of God, a home whose peace shall never be broken by the

sound of war or tempest, whose brightness shall never be overcast

by the remotest shadow of a cloud. How solacing to the weary

spirit to think of a resting-place so near, and that resting-place our

Father’s house where we shall hunger no more, neither thirst any

more, where the sun shall not light on us, nor any heat, where the

Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall feed us and lead us to

living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from

our eyes.

The time is at hand. The Church’s conflicts are almost over. Its

struggles and sorrows are nearly done. A few more years, and we

shall either be laid quietly to rest, or caught up into the clouds to

meet our coming Lord. A few more broken bonds, and then we

shall be knit together in eternal brotherhood with all the scattered

members of the family. A few more suns shall rise and set, and

then shall ascend in its strength the one upsetting sun. A few more

days shall dawn and darken, and then shall shine forth the one

unending day. A few more clouds shall gather over us, and then the

firmament shall be cleared forever. A few more sabbaths shall

come around, filling the sum of our privileges and completing our

allotment of time, and then the everlasting sabbath shall begin. But

a few brief years, and we shall “enter in through the gates into the

city,” sitting down beneath the shadow of the tree of life, feeding

upon the hidden manna, and drinking of the pure river clear as

crystal, which proceedeth out of the throne of God and of the

Lamb. But a few years and we shall see His face, and His name

shall be upon our foreheads.


This was an excerpt from The Night of Weeping

By Horatius Bonar

 

[NotConformed]

Wow Joseph -- that spoke alot of truth!!

 

[Coconut]

Preach to me no more sermons on God’s love, unless it is accompanied by a message of His holiness. Preach to me no more sermons of His amazing grace without mentioning from what His grace saves me. Preach to me no more sermons of my Lord’s mercy except it be contrasted with what He would otherwise be just and righteous to do.

AMEN! Every preacher, teacher, and man and woman of God should hear this message! Thank you for sharing it.

 

[brokenman]

There is always a Loving motive behind our heavenly Fathers wrath. He is Love. There are many faces of Love but, its still Love all the same. Imagine a Lion, all majestic, her beauty can't be compared to any other beasts of the field. She lies quietly and peacefully with her sleeping cubs. She lovingly licks them as they rest secure. That is one face of Love. Then imagine this same Lion coming at you with her ferocious teeth bearing down on you, her razor sharp claws about to shred you to pieces. Why you ask? Because you stumbled in to her territory, threatening her children. This ferocious beast about to tear you from limb to limb is actually another face of Love. I would like to encourage everyone, if they preach the wrath of God, make sure He has ordained you to do so. When a person honestly studies the Old Testament concerning the wrath of God you will first find Gods grieving heart. God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. Ezekiel 18:23
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

There is a whole chapter in Gods word specifically dedicated to getting the point of His mercy enduring forever, across to us. (Psalm 136) Only the wicked want their children to know them as angry wrathful people. God is Love. He is not anger. Psalm 103:8
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

He wants us to know Him and His Love for us, and He will get angry and pour out His wrath upon all that would distort His loving nature to the sons of men.
Psalm 109:15-17
15Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
16Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
17As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

When you study the Old Testament knowing Gods nature of mercy and Love you begin to understand. The times He poured out His wrath upon people that would defame His Holy name, making Him out to be untrustworthy, unloving, unfaithful, etc… was another face of love in our protective, loving heavenly Father.
Psalm 30:5
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psalm 103:8
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Psalm 118:4
Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 145:8
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

Psalm 147:11
The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.