• Robert Hawker's Poor Man's Morning Portions

    December 7—Morning Devotion

    "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us."—John 4:16 Who hath known, and believed, in terms equal to the greatness of the mercy itself, the love of God to the poor sinner! God's love must be an infinite love, and consequently the display of it must be infinite also. God, we are told, " Commendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Had God loved and delighted in saints that loved him, this would have been love. Had God taken the holy angels into a nearer acquaintance with him, this would have been love. But when he raised beggars from the dunghill, and took rebels from the prison to sit upon his…

  • Peter Meney on Doctrinal Matters

    The God Who Is And The God Who Gives

    Three times in Romans 15 the Apostle Paul draws our attention to the character and attributes of our glorious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ with descriptive titles to comfort and encourage the church. Our Great Redeemer is called ‘the God of patience and consolation’, ‘the God of hope’ and ‘the God of peace’ (vv. 5, 13, 33). How blessed we are that God the Holy Spirit should leave us these wonderful descriptions of the Godhead as reminders and tokens of God’s love and grace for His people. Our blessed Saviour is both the source of these graces and the dispenser. Our Great Provider is Himself patient and teaches patience to His people. He is trustworthy and faithful and teaches His people to hope and trust…

  • Peter Meney on Doctrinal Matters

    The Love Of God

    The love of God is the highest, most exalted thought ever to enter the human mind. Of all the perfect attributes of the eternal, infinite Being revealed to mankind what is more wonderful than God’s love? What greater privilege than to receive it? What fuller joy than to experience it? The love of God amazed the prophets and thrilled the apostles. Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah and David all speak of God’s love in glorious terms. Peter, John and Paul describe divine love in the finest language. All testify of its transcendent nature and unequalled blessedness. To know, to taste the love of God is to possess the fulness of divine grace and the promise of heavenly glory, for the love of God is the companion of…

  • Peter Meney on Doctrinal Matters

    The Foreknowledge Of God

    Critics of sovereign grace reject that salvation is God’s gift to particular people whom He has chosen. They prefer the idea that man’s will, works and efforts in some way combine to determine who goes to heaven. For them the Biblical doctrine of election is an offence and they look for any opportunity to rob it of its force and meaning. Such critics cannot deny that election and predestination are taught in the Bible, the doctrines stand out from the pages of holy scripture like two supporting poles for the banner of God’s love. They must therefore explain these two key subjects in such a way as incorporates free-will and man’s own decision to trust in Jesus Christ or not. One way they try to…

  • Charles Buck's Theological Dictionary

    38 Patience Of God

    PATIENCE OF GOD Is his long suffering or forbearance. He is called the God of patience, not only because he is the author and object of the grace of patience, but because he is patient or long suffering in himself, and towards his creatures. It is not, indeed, to be considered as a quality, accident, passion, or affection in God as in creatures, but belongs to the very nature and essence of God, and springs from his goodness and mercy, Rom. 2:4. It is said to be exercised towards his chosen people, 2 Peter 3:9. Rom. 3:25. Isa. 30:18. 1 Tim. 1:16. and towards the ungodly, Rom. 2:4. Eccl. 8:11. The end of his forbearance to the wicked, is, that they may be without excuse;…

  • Charles Buck's Theological Dictionary

    37 Goodness Of God

    GOODNESS OF GOD Relates to the absolute perfection of his own nature, and his kindness manifested to his creatures. Goodness, says Dr. Gill, is essential to God, without which he would not be God, Exod. 33:19. 34:6,7. Goodness belongs only to God, he is solely good, Matt. 19:17; and all the goodness found in creatures are only emanations of the divine goodness. He is the chief good; the sum and substance of all felicity, Ps. 144:12, 15. 73:25. 4:6,7. There is nothing but goodness in God, and nothing but goodness comes from him, 1 John 1:5. James 1:13,14. He is infinitely good; finite minds cannot comprehend his goodness, Rom. 11:35,36. He is immutably and unchangeably good, Zeph. 3:17. The goodness of God is communicative and…