"The Beauty and Glory of Christ" - by Iain D. Campbell

This is a portion from the book, The Beauty and Glory of Christ. It is excellent. 

"I have to confess that I am on something of a campaign to stop testimonies–at least, the kinds of testimonies that people often tell. I hear people standing up to give their testimony, and they tell us about things that happened ten, twenty, or thirty years ago when they could say, "My beloved is mine!" That is good, of course; I am not decrying it. But I want to know how much more beautiful Jesus has become with the passing of the years. I want to hear how He sometimes dimmed the lights with dark providences and robbed you of much so that you were left with nothing but Him. I want to know how much more beautiful He has become to you, when God in His providence removed so much else on which you leaned once, and left you leaning only on Him. I want to hear how altogether lovely He has become as He has brought you along roads that made you say, 'O that I knew where I might find him! I look up and He is not here. I call to Heaven, and Heaven is silent. On my left hand and on my right hand, and He is not there. O that I knew!' Those moments when He left you saying, 'But he knoweth the way that I take' (Job 23:1-10)"

"In all these afflictions and trials, in the things that came into your life since you came to Christ, in the things that shaped you, not by the choices you made for yourself, but by the providences you would never in a million years have chosen for yourself–I want to know how much more lovely He has become in these things. That is the testimony I want to hear. What have you learned in your pilgrimage. that makes Him attractive still? You have left behind so many of your dreams and prospects in what has gone by of your wilderness journey. He has stripped you just as the bride in the Song seems to have lost everything in her search for her beloved in the way he has dealt with her. Yet all the time for her, and for you, the experience is designed to elicit an even more sweet appreciation of His beauty and loveliness and magnitude."

"So if, with all these valleys behind you, you can still say that 'he is the chiefest of ten thousand to my soul,' then I will listen to your testimony gladly."

Soli Deo Gloria

Wanted: A Man to Lead

There isn't a boy but wants to grow

Manly and true at heart,

And every lad would like to know

The secrets we can impart.

He doesn't want to slack or shirk–

Oh, haven't you heard him plead?

He'll follow a man at play or work 

If only the man will lead.

Where are the men to lead today,

Sparing an hour or two,

Teaching the boy the game to play

Just as a man should do?

Village and slums are calling–"Come,

Here are the boys!" Indeed,

Who can tell what they might become

If only the man would lead.

Where are the men to lend a hand?

Echo it far and wide–

Men who will rise in every land, 

Bridging the "Great Divide."

Nation and flag and tongue unite

Joining each class and creed.

Here are the boys who would do right–

But where are the men to lead?

Soli Deo Gloria

It Is High Time to Awake

"And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."    [Romans 13:11]


WAKE UP!!! It is high time to awake. You have fallen asleep at the wheel. Your sons and daughters are leaving the home. Grandchildren are on the way. Your life is almost over, and you are still sleeping. How long will you slumber? How long will you idly stand by while eternity is just around the corner? You are alive and yet are dead. [Revelations 3:1]


The Lord has commanded you to watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. You have been commanded to be sober and vigilant. [1 Peter 5:8] How long will you fall asleep when you go to bow your head in prayer? When the Lord comes, will he find you sleeping? Will he take you by surprise? Will you be out getting oil for your lamps or are your lamps ready now in order to meet the bridegroom? [Matthew 25:1-10] What are you doing with your life? Are you doing kingdom work? It is time to get up, put on the "Armor of Salvation," and fight the Lord's battles.


"Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation for the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak." [Matthew 26:41] This is a command from our Lord. When the watchman watches a city, he is sober, vigilant, keeping a careful eye for any movement of the enemy. How many of you treat the Christian walk as a battle? How many of you are fumbling and playing with temptations? "Can a man take fire into his bosom and his clothes not be burned?" [Proverbs 6:27] Are you watching and praying that you enter not into temptation? The posture of prayer that we take is very interesting. We often get on our knees, put ourselves into the most comfortable position, and pray. However, scripture seems to denote something entirely different. When Gideon was picking men for battle, he took them to the stream to see how each drank the water. It was the men that cupped their hands and drank, while watching for the enemy that he chose. [Judges 7:5-6] Also, by the passage above, it appears that we are supposed to have our eyes open, watching, praying. Now, I am not saying that the posture we use for prayer is wrong; however, the way we pray is very telling as to how we live our lives. We have our eyes closed, and we are comfortable. We fall asleep on our knees.


It is time to stand up like men. It is time to wake up. It is time to gird up our loins for the race. [I Corinthians 16:13] It is time to engage the enemy. "The Devil, as a roaring lion, prowls about seeking whom he may devour." [I Peter 5:8] Will you be ready? Will you be able to withstand the fiery darts of the wicked one? When the watchman is sleeping, the city is entirely vulnerable to attack. The enemy can come in and destroy that place. Will you be found sleeping as the Lord found the disciples? [Matthew 26:40]


"Do not grow weary in well doing, for in due season, you shall reap, if you faint not." [Galatians 6:9] You may grow tired in the fight. It may deprive you of many things – friends, comforts, joys. You must count the cost. [Luke 14:28] The Lord will reward you. Lay up for yourselves treasure in Heaven. Serve the King of kings. You have the standard of Scriptures to live by. Don't tell me everyone has their own opinions. That statement couldn't be more true; however, I don't really care what other people think. I am talking about what the God of glory thinks. Yes, everyone interprets Scripture differently; however, I am talking about truth. You cannot tell God that you sinned because that is how you interpreted Scripture. You had better find out the truth by pleading with God to reveal it to you. Labor over the Word. Your efforts will not be in vain. I hope and pray that you will take heed to the Word of God. I hope and pray that you will take every thought captive. [2 Corinthians 10:5] The Lord wants your heart. Now, WAKE UP AND FIGHT, RUN THE RACE, AND LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE!!! LIVE CORAM DEO, IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD!!!

Soli Deo Gloria