Treasures and pleasures!
"I am your exceeding great reward."
Genesis 15:1
Genesis 15:1
GOD HIMSELF is HIS people's reward!
In what way is GOD the reward
of HIS people?
GOD is a satisfying reward.
GOD is a whole ocean of blessedness,
so that the soul, while it is bathing
in it, cries out in a divine ecstasy,
"I have enough!"
Here is fullness--
but no excess.
"I shall be satisfied when
I awake with YOUR likeness."
That is--
when I awake out of the sleep of death,
having my soul embellished with
the illustrious beams of YOUR glory--
I shall be satisfied. In GOD there
is not only sufficiency--
but redundancy; not only
the fullness of the vessel--
but the fullness of the fountain!
In GOD, this Ark of blessedness,
are all good things to be found.
Therefore Jacob, having GOD
for his reward, could say,
"I have enough!"
or, as it is in the original,
GOD is all marrow and fatness.
HE is such an plenteous reward
as exceeds our very faith.
If the Queen of Sheba's heart
fainted when she saw all
King Solomon's glory--
what would it have done
to have beheld the astonishing
and magnificent reward which
GOD bestows upon HIS favorites!
GOD is a suitable reward.
The soul, being spiritual, must
have something comparable
and suitable to make it happy--
and that is GOD. Light is no
more suitable to the eye,
nor melody to the ear--
than GOD is to the soul.
HE pours spiritual blessings
into the soul, Ephesians 1:3. He . . .
enriches it with grace,
feasts it with HIS love, and
crowns it with heavenly glory!
GOD is a pleasant reward.
enriches it with grace,
feasts it with HIS love, and
crowns it with heavenly glory!
GOD is a pleasant reward.
HE is the quintessence of delight!
HE is all beauty and love!
To be feeding upon thoughts
of GOD is delicious.
Psalm 104:34, "My meditation
on HIM shall be sweet."
It is delightful to the bee to suck
the flower. Just so, by holy musing,
to suck out some of the sweetness
in GOD is a pleasant reward.
HE is the quintessence of delight!,
carries a secret delight in it.
To have a prospect of GOD
is a pleasant reward. HE is
the quintessence of delight!
only by faith is pleasant.
"In whom believing, you rejoice."
Then what will the joy of vision be--
when we shall have a clear,
personal sight of HIM--
and be laid in the bosom
of divine love!
What a delicious reward
will GOD be in Heaven!
This will be better felt--
than expressed. The godly,
entering upon their celestial
reward, are said to enter into
the joy of their LORD,
Matthew 25:21.
Oh, amazing!
The saints enter into GOD'S own joy!
They have not only the joy
which GOD bestows--
but the joy which GOD enjoys!
GOD is a transcendent reward.
The artist, going to paint the
picture of Helena, not being
able to draw her beauty--
drew her face covered with a veil.
Just so, when we speak of
GOD'S excellencies--
we must draw a veil.
HE is so super-eminent a
reward, that we cannot set
HIM forth in all HIS luster
and magnificence.
Put the whole world
in scale with HIM--
and it is as if you should
weigh a feather compared
to a mountain of gold.
GOD is far better than all
other things put together!
HE is better than the world--
and better than Heaven!
HE is the original cause of all
good things. Nothing is sweet
without HIM. HE perfumes
and sanctifies our comforts!
GOD being an infinite reward,
there can be no defect or
scantiness in it. There is no lack
in that which is infinite. Some
may ask, "Is GOD sufficient for
every individual saint?" Yes!
If the sun, which is but a finite
creature, disperses its light
to the universe--
then much more GOD, who
is infinite, distributes glory to
the whole number of the elect.
As every person enjoys
the whole sun to himself--
so every believer possesses
the whole GOD to himself.
The LORD has land enough to
give all HIS heirs. Throw a
thousand buckets into the sea--
and there is water enough
in the sea to fill them.
Just so, though there are
millions of saints and angels--
there is enough in GOD to fill
them. GOD is an infinite reward,
and though HE is continually giving
out of HIS fullness to others--
yet HE has not the less.
HIS glory is imparted--
not impaired. It is a distribution,
without a diminution.
GOD is an honorable reward.
Honor is the height of men's
ambition. Aristotle calls it
the greatest of blessings.
What greater dignity than to be
taken up into communion with
the GOD of glory, and to possess
a kingdom with HIM, bespangled
with light, and seated with CHRIST
upon HIS throne, above all
the visible orbs!
God is an everlasting reward.
God is an everlasting reward.
Mortality is the flaw of all earthly
things. But GOD is an eternal reward.
Eternity cannot be measured by
years nor ages. Eternity makes
glory, weighty.
and ever!" Psalm 48:14
Oh, saints of GOD, your praying
and repenting are but for a while--
but your reward is forever!
As long as GOD is GOD,
HE will be rewarding you!
"I will betroth you unto ME forever."
GOD marries HIMSELF to HIS
people, and this admits of no
divorce. GOD'S love for HIS
elect is as unchangeable as
HIS love for CHRIST!
people, and this admits of no
divorce. GOD'S love for HIS
elect is as unchangeable as
HIS love for CHRIST!
Psalm 73:26.
This portion cannot be spent--
because it is infinite;
nor can it be lost--
because it is eternal.
In GOD are treasures which
In GOD are treasures which
can never be emptied--
and pleasures which can
never be ended!"YOU have made known to me the path
of life; YOU will fill me with joy in YOUR
presence, with eternal pleasures at YOUR
right hand!" Psalm 16:11
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GraceGems has published the full TEXT of this outstanding sermon:
"GOD is HIS People's Great Reward!"
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