Micah 7:1-20

For Reading and Meditation:     Romans 16:1-16

A word which the gospel associates with salvation is the word "conversion." Salvation is the offer of divine forgiveness and the gift of eternal life; conversion is the way we enter into that experience and receive the gift. The word "conversion" means to turn about or change one's direction. Though other religions...

The proper object of mercy is misery; sin has rendered us miserable, and God has revealed Himself as merciful. He delighteth in mercy; it is a pleasure to Him to have mercy upon us; He delights to pardon our sins, relieve our necessities, and save our souls.

His own glory being secured, He delights to bless His people. He is styled, THE FATHER OF MERCIES; and as a father takes pleasure in his children, so does our God in showing mercy.

He always delights in...

SIN must not only be pardoned, but corruption must be subdued; the one is freely promised as well as the other. The grace of God pardons, the power of God subdues; but grace and power always go together in the salvation of a sinner. Pardon comes first, and sanctification follows. Light shining upon the understanding, discovers corruption working in the soul; holiness seated in the heart, produces hatred and opposition to it; prayer ascends to God for deliverance from it, and power descends...

The prophet had been weaned from this, by many and sore trials; and now he determines to look unto the Lord. Let us imitate his example. We cannot do better than look to the Lord, as our Captain, to command; as our Master, to direct; as our Father, to provide; and as our God, to defend.

His name is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe. Looking to Jesus, will preserve us from a thousand snares; and prepare us to suffer as Christians and triumph as...

The prophet had been weaned from this, by many and sore trials; and now he determines to look unto the Lord. Let us imitate his example. We cannot do better than look to the Lord, as our Captain, to command; as our Master, to direct; as our Father, to provide; and as our God, to defend.

His name is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe. Looking to Jesus, will preserve us from a thousand snares; and prepare us to suffer as Christians and triumph as...

"My God will hear me." Micah 7:7

Friends may be unfaithful, but the LORD will not turn away from the gracious soul; on the contrary, He will hear all its desires. The prophet says, "Keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. A man's enemies are the men of his own house." This is a wretched state of affairs; but even in such a case the Best Friend remains true, and we may tell Him all our grief.

Our wisdom...

"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me." Micah 7:8

This may express the feelings of a man or woman downtrodden and oppressed. Our enemy may put out our light for a season. There is sure hope for us in the LORD; and if we are trusting in Him and holding fast our integrity, our season of downcasting and darkness will soon be over. The insults of...

"He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:19

God never turns from His love, but He soon turns from His wrath. His love to His chosen is according to His nature; His anger is only according to His office. He loves because He is love; He frowns because it is necessary for our good. He will come back to the place in...

He will, thou prophet of the living God! More happy art thou in this thy strong and well-warranted persuasion than if a tiara of the most effulgent diamonds were set upon thy brow, to light up the chamber of thy darkness. Didst thou always know this? Couldest thou from the beginning look thus serenely along the paths of life, conscious that betide whatever might, thou shouldst enjoy the manifested presence of thy God?

Perhaps not. Perhaps there was a period in thy life when thou hadst...

There is a little flock who are acquainted with God; are so far acquainted with his essential perfections, and see so much of his glory in Christ, that God is not ashamed to be known as their God, and to have it understood among the angels of heaven that the members of this flock do know him. But viewing these as exceptional, innumerable conceptions of God possess the minds of men; to express it otherwise, innumerable gods of, widely different characters exist in the conceptions of men, and...