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The Proverb A Day Ping List
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,Charles Spurgeon on the cure for envy
00 But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;
The cure for envy lies in living under a constant sense of the Divine presence, worshipping God and communing with Him all the day long, however long the day may seem. True religion lifts the soul into a higher region, where the judgment becomes more clear, and the desires are more elevated. The more of heaven there is in our lives, the less of earth we shall covet. The fear of God casts out the envy of men. The death-blow of envy is a calm consideration of the future. The wealth and glory of the ungodly are a vain show. This pompous appearance flashes out for an hour, and then is extinguished. What is the prosperous sinner the better for his prosperity when judgment overtakes him? As for the godly man, his end is peace and blessedness, and none can rob him of his joy; wherefore, let him forego envy, and be filled with sweet content.
The nature and advantages of the fear of the Lord
Scarcely anything has a more immediate influence upon our duty or comfort than the due government of our passions. Hence the wise and virtuous, in all ages, have employed themselves in forming rules for their regulation. But it is found more easy to prescribe, than to reduce these rules to practice. The religion of Jesus provides the assistance requisite to enable us to comply with rules.
I. What is it to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long? Fear is a passion of the human mind, and stands opposed to hope. It always has for its object some evil, real or supposed. Here its object is the evil and danger of sinning against God, and the just displeasure of God, in consequence of offending Him. To fear these is to fear the Lord in the best sense of the phrase. We should live under the habitual influence of this holy temper, and carry it with us into all the duties of the religious and social life.
II. Why should we study to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long?
1. It is an excellent guard against the commission of sin. The man cannot knowingly and deliberately sin against God who has a suitable sense of His being, perfections, character and government.
2. It really assists us in the right performance of duty. It greatly tends to invigorate the graces of the Spirit in the soul, and to call them forth into lively exercise.
3. It excites us to the important duty of watchfulness, and greatly assists us therein.
4. God recommends this duty to our study and practice, by His Divine authority.
God bless each and everyone of you and my Prayers for the families of those murdered and those injured in Manchester terror attack.
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I wish I could tell y'all how many times I have chosen at dinners to be the last seated, how many delightful dinner companions were in the company surrounding that last place.
In one case, it happened that at my left hand was a Marine veteran of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion who had come 500 miles for the banquet. He was engaged in the battle on Guadalcanal for the "Bloody Ridge," otherwise known as "Edson's Ridge" in which he and literally a handful of heroes who turned back the advance of the Japanese pacific islands advance.
What a blessing of remembering the beginning of the victories of our Always Faithful Corps in the Pacific Theater of Operations. "Bloody Ridge" was the end of the beginning, and the beginning of the end of World War Two.
While I was singing "Mairzie Doats" and "God Bless America" at the beginning of each first grade school day, this man was battling for his Ciorps, his country, and my privilege to freely sing these songs.
