Musings of a Shepherd

Health & Healing

musingsofashepherd — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:53:58 +0000

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mark 2:17).

As one wrote, “He came to heal the sick and let the healthy die.”

Filed under: Meditations

Success

musingsofashepherd — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:43:01 +0000

Someone said,

If you succeed without suffering, it is because someone suffered before you. If you suffer without succeeding it is so someone will succeed after you.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).”

Filed under: Meditations

Preaching

musingsofashepherd — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:42:20 +0000

“Divine and glorious truths that should move the soul should also move the preacher’s manner of presentation (Lucas, God’s Grand Design, 143.).”

As the Head of the church is moved, so should the body be moved. His action, thought, and Spirit should simultaneously be our own.

Filed under: Meditations

Thirst for Christ

musingsofashepherd — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:13:49 +0000

A wonderful expression of the soul of a saint. Pray this to the Lord in His steadfast love for He will hear your cry.

My Soul Thirsts for You

143 A Psalm of David.

¹ Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! ² Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. ³ For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. ⁴ Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled. ⁵ I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. ⁶ I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

⁷ Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. ⁸ Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. ⁹ Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge. ¹⁰ Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! ¹¹ For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! ¹² And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant (ESV).

The Lord has heard the cry of His Servant. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Filed under: Meditations

Spurgeon on Conversion Means

musingsofashepherd — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:39:40 +0000

Very early in my walk in the Lord, I came across this quote by Charles Spurgeon which had a profound effect on my evangelism and preaching.

“I do not look for any other means of converting men beyond the simple preaching of the gospel and the opening of men’s ears to hear it. The moment the Church of God shall despise the pulpit, God will despise her. It has been through the ministry that the Lord has always been pleased to revive and bless His Churches.”

Filed under: Meditations

Index of John Owen’s Works

musingsofashepherd — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:25:06 +0000

A very beneficial index to the complete works of John Owen can be downloaded here. Excellent resource.

Filed under: Meditations

Mercy Stirred

musingsofashepherd — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 13:56:18 +0000

The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, … . Thankfulness is robbed at the altar of duty. Gratitude is inflamed at the altar of Mercy. Blessed be His Name forever.

Filed under: Meditations

God Waits, We Wait

musingsofashepherd — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:20:00 +0000

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him (Isaiah 30:18, ESV).

Filed under: Meditations

Pray without Ceasing

musingsofashepherd — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 20:03:44 +0000

To pray without ceasing is to think God’s thoughts after Himself, unto Himself, fulfilled on behalf of Christ and His people (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Filed under: Meditations

Glory Excelling

musingsofashepherd — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:22:26 +0000

Moses saw the glory of God from the back of God. Believers see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This glory infinitely excels in glory.

Filed under: Meditations