“Love is doing something for someone else at the expense of yourself, whereas sin is doing something for yourself at the expense of others.” I’ve never heard this before… a plain and profound contrast of love and sin. Thanks for sharing this Mike!
You are very welcome. It's all too easy for us to take, take, take and not think of others but only of our needs. Oftentimes we even love expecting to receive something in return, even just recognition. However, true love is completely self-sacrificing. That is the Love of God in Christ Jesus.
Song of Solomon is about Christ and us His Church. King but Beautiful in how we Love because He loved us first! 🙏🏼🕊🙌❤️🔥
CHS June 19 Evening
"My Beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my Beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether." — Song of Solomon 2:16 & 2:17
Surely if there be a happy verse in the Bible it is this-"My Beloved is mine, and I am his." So peaceful, so full of assurance, so overrunning with happiness and contentment is it, that it might well have been written by the same hand which penned the twenty-third Psalm. Yet though the prospect is exceeding fair and lovely-earth cannot show its superior-it is not entirely a sunlit landscape. There is a cloud in the sky which casts a shadow over the scene. Listen, "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away."
There is a word, too, about the "mountains of Bether," or, "the mountains of division," and to our love, anything like division is bitterness. Beloved, this may be your present state of mind; you do not doubt your salvation; you know that Christ is yours, but you are not feasting with him. You understand your vital interest in him, so that you have no shadow of a doubt of your being his, and of his being yours, but still his left hand is not under your head, nor doth his right hand embrace you. A shade of sadness is cast over your heart, perhaps by affliction, certainly by the temporary absence of your Lord, so even while exclaiming, "I am his," you are forced to take to your knees, and to pray, "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my Beloved."
"Where is he?" asks the soul. And the answer comes, "He feedeth among the lilies." If we would find Christ, we must get into communion with his people, we must come to the ordinances with his saints. Oh, for an evening glimpse of him! Oh, to sup with him to-night!
I cannot say I'm surprised. Oftentimes these days the non-believers treat others better than Christians. It's a sad truth. I'm hopeful that will change. May His will be done. God bless.
Mike, great post and I'm humbled by the message you have put forth. Thank you for that. On another note: I'm very interested in any reference you may have about life during the New Testament, as you stated here in your post. Keep up the good work and abundant blessings to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Thank you for your comment. One of the best references that I can recommend is Frank Viola's new book, "The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: Revised & Expanded". It not only puts the story in chronological order but, add in the much needed context of what life was like during that time and in doing so really brings the story to life. I think it unlocks the story in a whole new and very profound way. God bless you too.
Thank you for this post. It is long overdue for all Christians (every generation and denomination) to stand together in order to stay strong and spread the light in this dying world.
“Love is doing something for someone else at the expense of yourself, whereas sin is doing something for yourself at the expense of others.” I’ve never heard this before… a plain and profound contrast of love and sin. Thanks for sharing this Mike!
You are very welcome. It's all too easy for us to take, take, take and not think of others but only of our needs. Oftentimes we even love expecting to receive something in return, even just recognition. However, true love is completely self-sacrificing. That is the Love of God in Christ Jesus.
Mike From Spurgeon’s Eve 6/19
Song of Solomon is about Christ and us His Church. King but Beautiful in how we Love because He loved us first! 🙏🏼🕊🙌❤️🔥
CHS June 19 Evening
"My Beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my Beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether." — Song of Solomon 2:16 & 2:17
Surely if there be a happy verse in the Bible it is this-"My Beloved is mine, and I am his." So peaceful, so full of assurance, so overrunning with happiness and contentment is it, that it might well have been written by the same hand which penned the twenty-third Psalm. Yet though the prospect is exceeding fair and lovely-earth cannot show its superior-it is not entirely a sunlit landscape. There is a cloud in the sky which casts a shadow over the scene. Listen, "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away."
There is a word, too, about the "mountains of Bether," or, "the mountains of division," and to our love, anything like division is bitterness. Beloved, this may be your present state of mind; you do not doubt your salvation; you know that Christ is yours, but you are not feasting with him. You understand your vital interest in him, so that you have no shadow of a doubt of your being his, and of his being yours, but still his left hand is not under your head, nor doth his right hand embrace you. A shade of sadness is cast over your heart, perhaps by affliction, certainly by the temporary absence of your Lord, so even while exclaiming, "I am his," you are forced to take to your knees, and to pray, "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my Beloved."
"Where is he?" asks the soul. And the answer comes, "He feedeth among the lilies." If we would find Christ, we must get into communion with his people, we must come to the ordinances with his saints. Oh, for an evening glimpse of him! Oh, to sup with him to-night!
Thank you for sharing that Loraine. How beautiful and wonderful! God bless.
In my experience, I have seen people who risked their lives to help others, and they were not Christians. One of those people saved my live.
I cannot say I'm surprised. Oftentimes these days the non-believers treat others better than Christians. It's a sad truth. I'm hopeful that will change. May His will be done. God bless.
Mike, great post and I'm humbled by the message you have put forth. Thank you for that. On another note: I'm very interested in any reference you may have about life during the New Testament, as you stated here in your post. Keep up the good work and abundant blessings to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Thank you for your comment. One of the best references that I can recommend is Frank Viola's new book, "The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: Revised & Expanded". It not only puts the story in chronological order but, add in the much needed context of what life was like during that time and in doing so really brings the story to life. I think it unlocks the story in a whole new and very profound way. God bless you too.
Thank you
Praying that this time will purge us of the collective forgetting
Amen sister. May it be so. God bless you.
Thank you for this post. It is long overdue for all Christians (every generation and denomination) to stand together in order to stay strong and spread the light in this dying world.
Amen. Thank you. I agree. May His will be done. God bless.
This is precious encouragement
Thank you sister. I appreciate that. God Bless.