It is well for us when prayers about our sorrows are linked with pleas concerning our sins—when, being under God's hand, we are not wholly taken up with our pain, but remember our offences against God. It is well, also, to take both sorrow and sin to the same place. It was to God that David carried his sorrow: it was to God that David confessed his sin. Observe, then, we must take our sorrows to God. Even your little sorrows you may roll upon God, for He counteth the hairs of your head; and your great sorrows you may commit to Him, for He holdeth the ocean in the hollow of His hand. Go to Him, whatever your present trouble may be, and you shall find Him able and willing to relieve you. But we must take our sins to God too. We must carry them to the cross, that the blood may fall upon them, to purge away their guilt, and to destroy their defiling power.
The special lesson of the text is this:—that we are to go to the Lord with sorrows and with sins in the right spirit. Note that all David asks concerning his sorrow is, "Look upon mine affliction and my pain;" but the next petition is vastly more express, definite, decided, plain—"Forgive all my sins" Many sufferers would have put it, "Remove my affliction and my pain, and look at my sins." But David does not say so; he cries, "Lord, as for my affliction and my pain, I will not dictate to Thy wisdom. Lord, look at them, I will leave them to Thee, I should be glad to have my pain removed, but do as Thou wilt; but as for my sins, Lord, I know what I want with them; I must have them forgiven; I cannot endure to lie under their curse for a moment." A Christian counts sorrow lighter in the scale than sin; he can bear that his troubles should continue, but he cannot support the burden of his transgressions.
Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church
Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind
Date: Sun PM 17th January 2021Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Continue ReadingDate: Sun AM 17th January 2021Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: Zechariah 1:2-3 The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers.Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts;Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts,and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.
Continue Reading
Date: Sun PM 10th January 2021Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Continue Reading
Date: Sun AM 10th January 2021Preacher: Rev. David McIlveenBible Reference: Job 29:13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Continue ReadingDate: Sun PM 3rd January 2021Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: 2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
Continue Reading
Date: Sun AM 3rd January 2021Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: 2 Chronicles 15:7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak:for your work shall be rewarded.
Continue Reading
Date: Thu PM 31st December 2020Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: Psalms 56:3 What time I am afraid,I will trust in thee.
Continue ReadingDate: Sun PM 27th December 2020Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again?all the days of my appointed time will I wait,till my change come.
Continue Reading
Date: Sun AM 27th December 2020Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: Habakkuk 3:17-19 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Continue Reading
Date: Fri AM 25th December 2020Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: Mark 14:3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it […]
Continue ReadingA message from our minister, Rev. David McLaughlin, for Christmas from Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church.
Continue ReadingDate: Sun PM 20th December 2020Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: John 10:22-23 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
Continue ReadingDate: Sun AM 20th December 2020Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: Habakkuk 3:16 When I heard, my belly trembled;my lips quivered at the voice:rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself,that I might rest in the day of trouble:when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them […]
Continue ReadingDate: Sun PM 13th December 2020Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlinBible Reference: Daniel 12:8-13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
Continue Reading
Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church
Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind
