Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. Psalm 32:1-2

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1).

We are redeemed, children of God, indwelt by his Spirit of holiness and grace; but we are still human, still flesh. The motions of sin, the desires of the flesh and the potential to fall are in every believer. Therefore, if a brother falls into sin of spirit, attitude, or flesh, we are to make every attempt to recover, restore and resettle him to his place of fellowship.

The attitude of strong, mature, restrained believers toward the fallen is not to be critical, 'holier than thou' and condemning. It is to be a spirit of humility and meekness, for we know that the potential to commit any sin is in us, and we only stand by the grace of God! (2 Tim. 2:24, 25.)

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (from his commentary on Galatians)

In Me Ye Might Have Peace

Many brethren that we know and love are going through difficult trials right now. Some are enduring sickness, others are enduring loss. Our Lord told us in John 16:33 that our life in the earth would be this way. He said, “...In the world you shall have tribulation...”

The reason all of God’s people suffer tribulation is because all of God’s people suffer with sin. Sin is the root of all our trouble. Sin destroyed our souls; it destroys our bodies; it destroys our peace, and brings nothing but trials and trouble to us and everything around us. But in the same verse our Lord said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that IN ME ye might have peace.”

The reason all of God’s people can have peace in Christ, in spite of all of our trials and tribulation, is because Christ has overcome all of the sin that has destroyed us! Christ has redeemed our souls; Christ has redeemed our bodies; and Christ has secured eternal peace and rest for all those who are in Him. It is true: In the world we shall have tribulation, but in Christ we can be of good cheer; because Christ has overcome the sorrow, sickness, and sin of this world.

Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

One of the old preachers is reported to have said, “I preach as one who may never preach again, as a dying man to dying men.” How solemn a thought that is to those of us charged with preaching. Let us not tickle the ears of dying men with the trifles of earthly issues and vain religion. But does this principle not apply in some way to the man who listens? Ought we not say every time we come to worship, “I listen as one who may never hear again, as a dying man among dying men”? God grant us the same seriousness in hearing as we expect in preaching! Pastor Joe Terrell

THE LORD IS VERY PITIFUL”

“Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (James 5:11).

The horrible atheism of our depraved nature continually quarrels with the Most High; and when we are under God’s afflicting hand and his providence crosses our will, the evil of our nature becomes evident. When greatly distressed, we are far too apt to think ill of and to speak in rebellion against the Most High. I wish it were not so; but it is. Our hard speeches and suspicions betray a terrible lack of faith in and submission to our all-wise and ever-gracious God.

Goodness and Mercy—Looking back over my life, how I wish I could blot out every murmuring thought and take back every murmuring word. They were all unwarranted and ungodly. I have repented of the evil privately and do so now publicly. When I take survey of my life in this world, I see that the kindness of God has run all through it like a golden thread. Goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, always pursuing me and chasing me into the arms of God, even when I have wickedly rebelled against him and his goodness and mercy.

Are you not compelled to confess the same, my brother, my sister? Even our apparent woes have been real blessings. I do not know for which we should bless God most – for our sorrows or for our joys. The best piece of furniture I have ever had in my house is the cross of affliction. Adversity is the richest field in all the farmland of life. We have never reaped such a harvest from any seed as from that which fell from our hands while tears were falling from our eyes. When we have gone forth weeping, bearing precious seed, we have invariably come again, rejoicing, bringing our sheaves with us. Truly the Lord has strengthened us “upon the bed of languishing” and made our beds in all our sicknesses (Ps. 41:3).

Very Pitiful—“O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him!” (Psalm 34:8) —“The Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting!” (Psalm 100:5) –“The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy!”

Let every heaven born soul say, “He healeth all my diseases.” Let every tried believer say, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Let the aged saint bring the spoils of his experience and lay them down at the feet of the Lord our God who, up to now, has helped him. May God the Spirit graciously turn our eyes away from ourselves to God our Savior that we may ever be mindful of this blessed, sweet comforting fact – “The Lord is very pitiful.”