Saturday, June 17, 2006
'Gospel Worship' by Jeremiah Burroughs
'It would be excellent if every Lord's Day, and at other times, you came as hungry to the Word as you ever went to your dinner or supper. The Word of God should be more to you than your appointed food, and then you are likely to grow by it and to sanctify God's name in it.
Pray beforehand that God would open your eyes and your heart and accompany His Word. Thus did David; "Open mine eyes O Lord, that I may understand the wonders of Thy law." You know what is said of Lydia: "The Lord opened her heart to attend to the Word tha was spoken." Now seeing it is an ordinance, you expect more good from it than what it, of its own nature, is able to convey. You need to pray, "Lord, I go to such an ordinance of Thine, and I know there is no efficacy in itself. It is not able to reach such effects as I expect, that is, to have my eyes opened, but Lord, open my eyes and my heart. Lord, my heart is naturally locked up against Thy Word. There are such words in my heart that, unless Thou art pleased to put in a key that may fit my heart, it will never open. Man is not able to know my heart, and therefore he cannot fit a key to ansewer every ward, to resolve doubt, to silence every objection, but Lord, Thou canst do it. Lord, therefore fit Thy Word this day to meet with my heart. Lord, I have gone often to Thy Word and the key has stuck it in and has not opened; but Lord, if Thou wouldst but fit it and turn it with Thine own hand, my heart would open."
Oh, come with such a praying heart to the Word, and thereby you shall sanctify the name of God in hearing His Word. This is to come to hear the Word as to the Word of God. You must not come to hear the Word as to hear a speech or an oration, but come in such a preparation as this, and so God will be glorified and you will be profited.'
p. 167-168
The Word of God is important to us. It is the most important book you can read and learn from. You need God to open your heart to what it says.
Related Tags: Jeremiah Burroughs,
'Gospel Worship', Word of God,
Lord's Day, praying heart
Pray beforehand that God would open your eyes and your heart and accompany His Word. Thus did David; "Open mine eyes O Lord, that I may understand the wonders of Thy law." You know what is said of Lydia: "The Lord opened her heart to attend to the Word tha was spoken." Now seeing it is an ordinance, you expect more good from it than what it, of its own nature, is able to convey. You need to pray, "Lord, I go to such an ordinance of Thine, and I know there is no efficacy in itself. It is not able to reach such effects as I expect, that is, to have my eyes opened, but Lord, open my eyes and my heart. Lord, my heart is naturally locked up against Thy Word. There are such words in my heart that, unless Thou art pleased to put in a key that may fit my heart, it will never open. Man is not able to know my heart, and therefore he cannot fit a key to ansewer every ward, to resolve doubt, to silence every objection, but Lord, Thou canst do it. Lord, therefore fit Thy Word this day to meet with my heart. Lord, I have gone often to Thy Word and the key has stuck it in and has not opened; but Lord, if Thou wouldst but fit it and turn it with Thine own hand, my heart would open."
Oh, come with such a praying heart to the Word, and thereby you shall sanctify the name of God in hearing His Word. This is to come to hear the Word as to the Word of God. You must not come to hear the Word as to hear a speech or an oration, but come in such a preparation as this, and so God will be glorified and you will be profited.'
p. 167-168
The Word of God is important to us. It is the most important book you can read and learn from. You need God to open your heart to what it says.
Related Tags: Jeremiah Burroughs,
'Gospel Worship', Word of God,
Lord's Day, praying heart
