Category: David’s Digest (Page 1 of 16)

David’s Digest: A Closer Look at Jesus’ Response to the Devil’s Temptations

July 5, 2025 / David & Susan Sifford / 0 Comments

I believe it was the last time I read through these that I wondered if I could see any common thread amongst each of Jesus’ responses.

Here is Matthew’s account, with the responses highlighted:

Matthew 4:1-11:

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

So, here they are again:

It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

I had already learned in the past that Jesus used scripture to reply, and you can see that with each having “It is written” in it.

But was there anything else?

In looking at the 2nd and 3rd ones, they have a similar “Thou shalt”, one being positive and the other negative (ie. “Thou shalt not”). Well, that was interesting, and seemed pretty clear and direct responses.

But, Jesus’ response about hunger and stones and bread was confusing to me. It didn’t seem to join with the other replies, and I wondered why He didn’t use a “Thou shalt” there. And was this just some answer that spiritual things are more important than physical? That’s kind of what that answer seemed to me to be.

And then I wondered, where was the “not bread alone” written that was a reference for Christ? Well, I found it to be in Deuteronomy. Here it is:

Deuteronomy 8:3 – “3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”

Hmm…interesting. There it is, but it still didn’t really shed any light.

And that’s when I stepped back and said, let’s see what the context is. Here’s the section:

Deuteronomy 8:1-6:

1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.

2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.

6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

And there it was! The context was keeping God’s commandments!

Here’s a paraphrase recap:

Do all the commandments I give you.
Remember how I tried you in the wilderness to see if you would keep My commandments.
How that testing was hunger, but I provided manna to eat so you’d know what comes out of My mouth is what man lives by.
I took care of you and chastened you.
So given all of that, keep My commandments, walk in My ways, and fear Me.

It seemed apparent to me then that “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord” from verse 3 were His commandments.

And now, it all tied back together to Christ’s responses to the devil:

Man lives by keeping God’s commandments
Keep the commandment of not tempting God
Keep the commandment of worshiping only Him

But in application to ourselves, I believe the inference from this is what our response to Satan’s temptations should be,

“No, God says this. I’m going to obey God.“

And after all, what really are the devil’s temptations but temptation to sin? And what is sin but not keeping God’s commandments? (1 John 3:4)

But then, we need to know what God’s commandments are and how He would have us live and obey Him, and the only source of that is His word, the Bible. So, we need to be diligent then in our studies of it.

May God give us this desire to be obedient to Him over all temptations to sin — our own carnal man’s, the devil’s, and those from the world. May the Lord grant us an understanding of His commandments and then the graces to indeed be obedient. And may He grant we do so wholeheartedly from our hearts out of love for Him!

John 14:15 – “If ye love me, keep my commandments.“

John 14:21 – “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.“

1 John 2:3-5 – “3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.“

1 John 5:2-3 – “ By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.“

— David

David’s Digest: A Brief Look at Fasting for Spiritual Purposes

June 28, 2025 / David & Susan Sifford / 0 Comments

Fasting is in the Bible, and God’s people would sometimes fast for spiritual purposes. Here are just a few instances:

Psalm 35:13 – “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.“

Daniel 9:3 – “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:“

Acts 14:23 – “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”

Esther 4:1-3:

1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;

2 And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Esther 4:15-16:

15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

Even the heathen somehow knew about fasting:

Jonah 3:4-5, 10:

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

It’s all over in the Bible actually.

In the following, Christ discusses it. I believe I always thought they were changing their face because of the hunger pangs, or at least the appearance of hunger pangs. I think it makes some sense, hunger a pretext for a “sad countenance”:

Matthew 6:16-18:

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

And then it’s mentioned here regarding the demon coming out. I believe I never really understood this, which aligned with my not understanding fasting mentioned in Christ’s admonition above:

Mark 9:28-29:

28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

So, my struggle has always been, “How does me not eating have anything to do with the fervency of an issue, such as prayer. Can I not pray earnestly and still eat something during the day? How does that prove earnestness or otherwise with God?”

Well, one time recently while reading through the New Testament, I can across this:

Matthew 9:14-15:

14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

And there it was! Jesus actually describes generally what fasting is (paraphrased here):

The question to Jesus: “Why don’t your disciples fast?”

Jesus’ answer: “Why would they mourn with me still here? When I am gone, then they’ll fast.”

I believe Jesus then is indicating that fasting then, generally, is a time of mourning.

Then, the Ninevites actions makes sense. So do the Esther instances (the first one even mentioned mourning with fasting). The distraught faces of the Pharisees during fasting makes better sense.

Now, do we need to fast?

(The following argument I learned from one or more sermons I had heard.)

Note here about praying:

Matthew 6:5-8:

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Jesus said “when you pray.” There’s an implicit statement in there that there’s no question prayer will be done by His people. I think most Christians would agree that Christians should pray.

Well, going back to verse 16 of Matthew 6 again, Jesus says “when you fast.” I believe we can draw the same inference from that — that there is an expectation by God that Christians should fast.

But, isn’t God all knowing? Why pray? Going back to Matthew 6, verse 7-8 now:

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

God knows what you need, yes, but there it is again, the implication that you still will pray.

Further, God says in Ezekiel 36:37:

“Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.“

He knows all things, and yet He will be enquired of.

So, why pray? God requires it, implies that it should happen, and I believe has prescribed it as a means by which He often accomplishes His will.

Here, God tells Elijah what He’s going to do:

1 Kings 18:1 – “And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.“

But then:

1 Kings 18:42-45:

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.

45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

James 5:17-18:

17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

So, Elijah still prayed, even though God had already planned to bring about the rains. I believe this shows Elijah’s prayers were means for the manifestation of God’s will.

And I believe then, this follows through for fasting — it’s a means God has set up for the accomplishment of His will at times.

Back above in Mark, the demon would only come out with prayer and fasting? Why? It appears those two things were the required means for its accomplishment.

Did not God in His sovereign omniscience know in the end He was not going to destroy the Ninevites? But what was the means they went through for that? Prayer and fasting.

And so, to conclude, I believe fasting is:

A time of mourning
A required duty of Christians, at the right times, maybe especially when there’s a burden on the heart, for someone, for some situation, etc.
Often tied to prayer
A means whereby at times God manifests His will

Thank the Lord for the unspeakable gift of His blessed Son, the Lord Jesus, by Whom we have access to the Father, to even be able to pray and fast, and that He hears our prayers because of the Christ Jesus!

— David

David’s Digest: Hearts to Give Ourselves in All to Our Beloved

March 24, 2025 / David & Susan Sifford / 0 Comments

Song of Solomon 6:3 – “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.“

In Song of Solomon, the Bride, or Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, declares that she is her Beloved’s and that He is hers.

In his excellent treatise on Song of Solomon 4:16-6:3 called “Bowels Opened” (bowels being inner-most self, often referencing deep compassions for others), Puritan Richard Sibbes notes how we are Christ’s beloved.

He says:

By His Father’s gift
By redemption
By marriage
And by our consent

He then notes some uses of understanding these things:

Use 1: It brings comfort to us, in that God will not allow his own to lack anything needful
Use 2: It fences us from Satan’s accusations, that he can go to our Beloved with any of them
Use 3: We can go to Christ in times of difficulty. And that the difficulties are used to:
- Conform the spouse to the husband in sufferings
- To bring Christ and spouse nearer together in her seeking Him and Him indeed being there
- And to know this time on earth of sufferings will end not long from now

And then Mr. Sibbes continues with Use 4 — to try us if we are Christ’s.

But how?

Below we pick up with answer to that. You can read this section of the treatise here, or listen to the sermon with this part in it here (it’s near the end), or listen to the entire treatise on our audio book page.

From Richard Sibbes:

4. Hence we have also an use of trial. Whosoever are Christ’s, they have hearts to give themselves to him.

As he gives himself, not his goods or his honours, but himself for his church, so the church gives herself to Christ. My delight is in him; he has myself, my heart, my love and affection, my joy and delight, and all with myself.

If I have any honour, he shall have it. I will use it for his glory. My riches I will give them to him and his church and ministry and children, as occasion shall serve. I am his, therefore all that I have is his, if he ask it at my hands.

It is said of the Macedonians, they gave themselves to Christ, and then their riches and goods, 2 Cor. 8:5. It is an easy matter to give our riches to Christ when we have given ourselves first.

A Christian, as soon as ever he becomes a Christian, and ever after, to death, and in death too, he gives up himself to Christ. They that stand with Christ, and will give this or that particular, will part only with idle things that they may spare, are they Christ’s? No. A Christian gives himself and all his to Christ.

So we see here what we should do if Christ be ours. Let us give up ourselves to him, as it is in Rom. 12:1. The issue of all that learned profound discourse in the former part of the epistle, that Christ justifies us by his righteousness and merit, and sanctifies us by his Spirit, and has predestinated and elected us, and refused others, is this, ‘I beseech you, give up your bodies and souls, and all as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.’

In brief, these words imply renunciation and resignation. ‘I am his,’ that is, I have given up myself to him, therefore I renounce all others that stand not with his love and liking. I am not only his by way of service, which I owe him above all that call for it, but I am his by way of resignation. If he will have me die, I will die. If he will have me live here, I will. I have not myself to dispose of any longer. I have altogether alienated myself from myself. I am his to serve him, his to be disposed of by him. I have renounced all other.

Therefore here we have another answer to Satan, if he come to us and solicit us to sin. Let the Christian’s heart make this answer, I am not mine own.

What has Satan and his instruments to do with me? Is my body his to defile? Is my tongue his to swear at his pleasure? Shall I make the temple of God the member of an harlot? As the apostle reasons, ‘Shall I defile my vessel with sin?’ 1 Cor. 6:15. What says converted Ephraim? ‘What have I any more to do with idols? for I have seen and observed him?’ Hos. 14:8.

We ought to have such resolutions ready in our hearts. Indeed, when a Christian is resolute, the world counts such to be lost. He is gone. We have lost him, say your dissolute, profane persons. It is true they have lost him indeed, for he is not his own, much less theirs, any longer. But he is found to God and himself and the church.

Thus we see what springs from this, that Christ is ours, and that we are Christ’s back again. Let us carry this with us even to death; and if times should come that God should honour us by serving himself of us in our lives, if Christ will have us spend our blood, consider this, I am not mine own in life nor death, and it is my happiness that I am not my own.

For if I were mine own, what should I do with myself? I should lose myself, as Adam did. It is therefore my happiness that I am not mine own, that I am not the world’s, that I am not the devil’s, that none else hath to do with me, to claim any interest in me, but I am Christ’s.

If I do anything for others, it is for Christ’s sake. Remember this for the time to come. If there be anything that we will not part with for Christ’s sake, it will be our bane [deadly poison, destruction]. We shall lose Christ and it too. If we will not say with a perfect spirit, I am his, my life, my credit, my person is his, anything his; look what we will not give for him, at length we shall lose and part with it and him too.

May God grant us this desire for Christ above all, to have Him, to love and serve Him above all, and the desire and help to give ourselves in total to Him, for the glory of His name!

— David

David’s Digest: Is Christ Altogether Lovely? – Part 3

February 7, 2025 / David & Susan Sifford / 2 Comments

Song of Solomon 5:16 – “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.“

In Song of Solomon, the Bride, or Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, declares that He is “altogether lovely” to her.

But what does that look like?

You can read this section of the treatise here, or listen to the sermon with this part in it here, or listen to the entire treatise on our audio book page.

Continuing from Part 2, here is the final part from Richard Sibbes, Part 3:

‘He is altogether lovely.’

To conclude this point, let us try our affections by the church’s affections in this place, whether Christ be so lovely to us or not. It is said, ‘There is no beauty in him when we shall see him, and he was despised of men,’ Isa. 53:2.

He was so, in regard of his cross and sufferings, to the eye of the world and of carnal men. Herod scorned him; when Pilate sent him to him, made nobody of him, as the word in the original is. They looked upon the outside of Christ in the flesh when he was abased. ‘There was no form nor beauty in him,’ saith the Holy Ghost, that is, to the sight of carnal men; but those that had the sight of their sins with spiritual eyes, they could otherwise judge of Christ. The poor centurion saw an excellency in him when he said, ‘He was not worthy that he should come under his roof,’ Mat. 8:8. The poor thief saw the excellency of Christ upon the cross in those torments. ‘Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom,’ Luke 23:42.

So those souls that were enlightened, that had the sight of their misery and the sight of God’s love in Christ, had a high esteem of Christ in his greatest abasement. Therefore, if we have a mean [low] esteem of the children of God as contemptible persons, and of the ordinances of God as mean [low] things, and of the government of Christ (such as he hath left in his word) as base, it is an argument of a sinful, unworthy disposition. In such a soul Christ hath never been effectually by his Spirit; for everything in him is lovely, even the bitterest thing of all. There is a majesty and excellency in all things of Christ. The censures of the church are excellent when they proceed and issue forth with judgment, as they should do, ‘to deliver such a man over to Satan, that he may be saved in the day of the Lord,’ 1 Cor. 5:5.

Now, if the ordinances of Christ, the word and sacraments, and the shutting sinners [the notorious ones, as noted in the last paragraph] out of the church, if these things be vilified as powerless things, it shews a degenerate, wicked heart, not acquainted with the ways of God.

If we have a mean [low] esteem of men that suffer for Christ and stand out for him, if we account them so and so, shall we think ourselves Christians in the mean time? When Christ is altogether lovely, shall they be unlovely that carry the image of Christ? Can we love him that begets, and hate them that are begotten of him? Can we love Christ, and hate Christians? It cannot be.

Now, that we may get this affection and esteem of Christ that is so lovely,

Let us labour to make our sins bitter and loathsome, that Christ may be sweet.

Quest. What is the reason we set no higher a price of Christ?

Ans. Because we judge not of ourselves as we are indeed, and want [lack] spiritual eye-salve to see into ourselves rightly.
And let us attend upon the means of salvation, to hear the unsearchable riches of Christ. What makes any man lovely to us, but when we hear of their riches, beauty, and good intent to us? In the word we are made acquainted with the good intent of Christ towards us, the riches of mercy in forgiving our sins, and riches of glory prepared for us. The more we hear of him, of his riches and love to us, the more it will inflame our love to Christ.

Those that live where the ordinances of Christ are held forth with life and power, they have more heavenly and enlarged affections than others have, as the experience of Christians will testify.
Again, if we would esteem highly of Christ that he may be lovely to us, let us join with company that highly esteem of Christ, and such as are better than ourselves. What deads [deadens] the affections so much as carnal, worldly company, who have nothing in them but civility?

By converse with them who have discourse of nothing but the world, if a man have heavenly affections, he shall quickly dull them, and be in danger to lose them. They may be conversed with in civil things, but when we would set to be heavenly and holy minded, let us converse with those that are of an heavenly bent.

As we see here, ‘the daughters of Jerusalem’ are won to love Christ. By what? By conversing with the church. Upon the discourse that the church makes of his excellencies, in particular, they begin to ask, Where is Christ, as in the next chapter [of Song of Solomon]; and so are all brought to the love of Christ.

May the Lord grant us an ever increasing view of the altogether loveliness of Himself!

— David

David’s Digest: Is Christ Altogether Lovely? – Part 2

February 5, 2025 / David & Susan Sifford / 0 Comments

Song of Solomon 5:16 – “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.“

In Song of Solomon, the Bride, or Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, declares that He is “altogether lovely” to her.

But what does that look like?

You can read this section of the treatise here, or listen to the sermon with this part in it here, or listen to the entire treatise on our audio book page.

Continuing from Part 1, here is from Richard Sibbes, Part 2:

‘He is altogether lovely.’

Use 4. And let us make an use of trial, whether he be thus lovely to us, or no. We may see hence whether we love Christ or no. We may judge of our love by our esteem.

How do we value Christ? what price doth the church set on him? ‘He is the chief of ten thousand.’ What place, then, should he have in our hearts? If he be the chief of ten thousand, let us rather offend ten thousand than offend him.

Let us say, with David, ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee?’ etc., Ps. 73:25. And when the soul can say to Christ, or any that is Christ’s (for I speak of him in the latitude of his truths, promises, sacraments, and communion with his children), ‘What have I in heaven but thee?’ etc., then it is in a happy condition.

If these things have the same place in our esteem, as they have in respect of their own worth, then we may say truly, without hypocrisy, ‘He is altogether lovely to us,’ that we truly love him.
In the next place, are we ready to suffer for Christ? We see the church here endures anything for Christ. She was misused of the watchmen. They scorned her, and her ‘veil is taken away,’ yet notwithstanding, she loves Christ still. Do we stand ready disposed to suffer for Christ? of the world to be disgraced and censured? and yet are we resolved not to give over? Nay, do we love Christ the more, and stick to his truth the faster? Certainly where the love of Christ is, there is a spirit of fortitude, as we may see in the church here, who is not discouraged from Christ by any means. He is still the chief of ten thousand.

When she was wronged for seeking after him, yet he was altogether lovely. Whereas, on the other hand, you have some that, for frowns of greatness, fear of loss, or for hope of rising, will warp their conscience, and do anything. Where now is love to Christ and to religion? He that loves Christ, loves him the more for his cross, as the Holy Ghost hath recorded of some, that they ‘rejoiced that they were thought worthy to suffer for Christ,’ Acts 5:41.

So the more we suffer for him, the more dear he will be to us. For indeed he does present himself in love and comfort most, to those that suffer for his sake; therefore their love is increased.
Again, where love is, there it enlarges the heart, which being enlarged, enlarges the tongue also. The church hath never enough of commending Christ, and of setting out his praise. The tongue is loosed, because the heart is loosed. Love will alter a man’s disposition.

As we see in experience, a man base of nature, love will make him liberal; he that is tongue-tied, it will make him eloquent. Let a man love Christ, and though before he could not speak a word in the commendation of Christ, and for a good cause, yet, I say, if the love of Christ be in him, you shall have him speak and labour earnestly in the praises of God. This hot affection, this heavenly fire, will so mould and alter him, that he shall be clean another man.

As we see in the church here, after that there was kindled a spirit of love in her, she cannot have done with Christ. When she had spoke what she could, she adds, ‘He is altogether lovely.’ Those that cannot speak of Christ, or for Christ, with large hearts in defence of good causes, but are tongue-tied and cold in their affections, where is their love?

Put any worldly man to a worldly theme that he is exercised in, and speaks of daily, he has wit and words at will; but put him to a theme of piety, you lose him: he is out of his theme, and out of his element. But ’tis not so with those that have ever felt the love of God in Christ. They have large affections. How full is Saint Paul! He cannot speak of Christ, but he is in the height, breadth, length, and depth of the love of God in Christ, and the knowledge of God above all knowledge. Thus we may discern the truth of our love by the expressions of it here as in the church.
Again, the church here is never content till she find Christ; whatsoever she had, nothing contents her. She wanted [lacked] her beloved. As we see here, she goes up and down inquisitive after him till she find him.

So it is with a Christian. If he have lost, by his own fault, his former communion with Christ, he will not rest nor be satisfied; but searches here and there in the use of this and that means. He runs through all God’s ordinances and means till he find Christ. Nothing in the world will content him, neither honour, riches, place, or friends, till he find that which he once enjoyed, but hath now for a season lost, the comfort and assurance of God’s love in Christ.

Now, if we can sit down with other things, and can want [lack] Christ and the assurance of salvation, that sweet report of the Spirit that we are his, and yet be contented well enough, here is an ill sign that a man is in an ill condition. The church was not so disposed here. She was never quiet, nor gives over her inquisition and speaking of Christ (that by speaking of the object she might warm her affections), until at the last she meets with Christ. These and the like signs there are of the truth of the love of Christ.

But where there is a flaming love of Christ there is this degree further, a desire of the appearance of Christ, a desire of his presence. For if Christ be so lovely in his ordinances, if we find such sweetness in the word and sacraments, in the communion of saints, in the motions of the Spirit, what is the sweetness, think you, which the souls in heaven enjoy, where they see Christ face to face, see him as he is? Hereupon the spouse saith, ‘Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.’ Oh, that I might live in his presence. This is the desire of a Christian soul when the flame of love is kindled in any strength, ‘Oh, that I might see him.’

And therefore it longs even for death; for as far as a man is spiritual, he desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ; as Simeon, when he saw him, though in his abasement, ‘Now I have enough; let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,’ Luke 2:30.

The presence of Christ, though it were but in the womb, when Mary, the mother of Christ, came to Elizabeth, it caused the babe that was in her womb to spring. Such comfort there is in the presence of Christ, though he be but in the womb, as it made John to spring.

What, then, shall be his presence in heaven? How would it make the heart spring there, think you? For that which is most lovely in Christ is to come. Therefore the saints that have any degree of grace in the New Testament, they are set out by this description. They were such as loved the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. How can it be otherwise? If they love Christ, they love the appearing of Christ, wherein we shall be made lovely, as he is lovely.

Here we are not ‘altogether lovely;’ for we have many dregs of sin, many infirmities and stains. Shall we not, then, desire that time wherein, as he is ‘altogether lovely,’ so shall we be made a fit spouse for so glorious a husband?

Continue on to Part 3!

— David

David’s Digest: Is Christ Altogether Lovely? – Part 1

February 3, 2025 / David & Susan Sifford / 0 Comments

Song of Solomon 5:16 – “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.“

In Song of Solomon, the Bride, or Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, declares that He is “altogether lovely” to her.

But what does that look like?

You can read this section of the treatise here, or listen to the sermon with this part in it here, or listen to the entire treatise on our audio book page.

From Richard Sibbes, Part 1:

‘He is altogether lovely.’

Altogether desirable; as if she should say, What should I stand upon particulars? he is altogether, from top to toe, amiable, lovely, and delectable.

‘He is altogether lovely.’ Lovely to God, to us, to the soul; lovely to him that can best judge of loveliness. The judgment of God I hope will go current with us; and what does God the Father judge of Christ? ‘This is my beloved Son,’ Mat. 3:17. He is the Son of God’s love, Col. 1:13, as God cannot but love his own image.

He is lovely also as man, for he was pure and holy; lovely as mediator by office, for he was anointed by God to convey the Father’s love to us. He must needs be lovely in whom all others are loved. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; out of him I am well pleased with nobody. And indeed he was filled with all graces that might make him lovely. All the treasures of wisdom are in him, and of his fulness we all receive grace for grace. He is made a storehouse of all that is good for us.

He is lovely to God in whatsoever he did. He carried himself lovely, and pleased his Father in all his doings and sufferings. God loved him especially, ‘because he was obedient, even unto the death of the cross. Therefore God gave him a name above all names; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, both in heaven and in earth,’ Phil. 2:8–10.

As for the angels, they look upon him with admiration. They attended him, and accounted it an honour to wait upon him. He is lovely to all above us, and shall he not be lovely to us?

Obj. But you will say, Was he lovely when he was nailed on the cross, hung between two thieves, when he wore a crown of thorns, was whipped, laid grovelling on the ground, when he sweat water and blood? What loveliness was in him when he was laid in his grave?

Ans. Oh! yes; then he was most lovely of all to us, by how much the more he was abased for us. This makes him more lovely that out of love he would abase himself so low. When greatness and goodness meet together, how goodly is it! That Christ, so great a majesty, should have such bowels of compassion! Majesty alone is not lovely, but awful and fearful; but joined with such condescending grace, is wondrous amiable. How lovely a sight is it to see so great a person to be so meek and gentle! It was so beyond comparison lovely in the eyes of the disciples, that they stood and wondered to see him, who was the eternal Word of the Father, condescend to talk with a poor Samaritan woman, John 4:6, seq.

And what loveliness of carriage was in him to Peter, undeserving, after he had denied and forsworn him, yet to restore him to his former place that he had in his heart, loving him as much as ever he did before! In a word, what sweetness, gentleness, bowels of meekness, pity, and compassion did he discover to those that were in misery! We cannot insist upon particulars.

There is a remarkable passage in the story of Alphonsus the king, not very well liked of some. When he saw a poor man pulling of his beast out of a ditch, he put to his hand to help him; after which, as it is recorded, his subjects ever loved him the better. It was a wonderful condescending. And is it not as wonderful that the King of heaven and earth should stoop so low as to help us poor worms out of the ditch of hell and damnation? and that, when he hath set us in a state of deliverance, he should not leave us there, but advance us to such a state and condition as is above our admiration, which neither heart can conceive nor tongue express? Is not this wonderful condescending?

Use 1. That we may further improve this point, Is Christ altogether lovely; so lovely to us, and so beloved of God the Father? Let us then rest upon his obedience and righteousness; build upon it, that God cannot refuse that righteousness whose whole subject is altogether lovely. Let us come clothed in the garments of our Elder Brother, and then doubt not of acceptance; for it is in Christ that he loves us. In this well-beloved Son it is that God is well pleased with us.

If we put on Christ’s righteousness, we put on God’s righteousness; and then how can God hate us? No more than he hates his own Son. Nay, he loves us, and that with the same love wherewith he loves him; for he loves whole Christ mystical, Head and members, John 17:23. Let this strengthen our faith, that if Christ be so altogether lovely in himself and to the Father, then we may comfortably come before the Father, clothed with the garments of him our Elder Brother, and so rest ourselves on the acceptation of his mediation, that is so beloved a mediator.

Use 2. Again, if Christ be so lovely, ‘altogether lovely,’ then let us labour to be in him, that so we may be lovely to God; because he is the first amiable thing in the world, in whom we are all lovely. All our loveliness is in beloved Christ.

Use 3. Again, if Christ be so lovely, here only we have whereupon to spend the marrow of our best affections. Is it not pity we should lose so much of our affections as we do upon other things? Christ is altogether lovely; why should we dote upon other things so much, and set up idols in our hearts above Christ? Is he altogether lovely, and shall not he have altogether our lovely affections, especially when we are commanded, under pain of a curse, to love the Lord Jesus? Anathema Maran-atha to those that love not Christ, 1 Cor. 16:22.

Let us therefore labour to place all our sweet affections that are to be exercised upon good, as love, joy, and delight, upon this object, this lovely deserving object, Christ, who is ‘altogether lovely.’ When we suffer a pure stream, as it were, to run through a dirty channel, our affections to run after the things of the world, which are worse than ourselves, we lose our affections and ourselves.

Let, therefore, the whole stream of our affections be carried unto Christ. Love him, and whatsoever is his; for he being altogether lovely, all that comes from him is lovely. His promises, his directions, his counsels, his children, his sacraments, are all lovely. Whatsoever hath the stamp of Christ upon it, let us love it. We cannot bestow our hearts better, to lose ourselves in the love of Christ, and to forget ourselves and the love of all. Yea, to hate all in comparison of him, and to account all ‘dung and dross’ compared with Christ, is the only way to find ourselves.

And indeed we have a better condition in him, than in the world or in ourselves. Severed from him, our condition is vain, and will come to nothing; but that we have in him is admirable and everlasting. We cannot conceive the happiness which we poor wretches are advanced to in Christ; and what excellent things abide for us, which come from the love of God to us in Christ, who is so altogether lovely. Therefore let us labour to kindle in our hearts an affection towards Christ, all that we can, considering that he is thus lovely.

Continue on to Part 2!

— David

David’s Digest: Where Is Hope?

September 23, 2024 / David & Susan Sifford / 0 Comments

It seems “hope” is built into mankind — we all naturally hope. We hope for things (desires, etc.); we hope in things (trust, etc.).

But before we go further, let’s look at what hope is. Here’s Webster’s 1828 definition of hope:

HOPE, noun [Latin cupio.]

1. A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. hope differs from wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.

2. Confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God’s gracious promises; a scriptural sense.

3. That which gives hope; he or that which furnishes ground of expectation, or promises desired good. The hope of Israel is the Messiah.

4. An opinion or belief not amounting to certainty, but grounded on substantial evidence. The christian indulges a hope that his sins are pardoned.

HOPE, verb intransitive

1. To cherish a desire of good, with some expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable.

2. To place confidence in; to trust in with confident expectation of good.

HOPE, verb transitive To desire with expectation of good, or a belief that it may be obtained. But as a transitive verb, it is seldom used, and the phrases in which it is so used are elliptical, for being understood.

So, hope involves some desire for something, with expectation that it will occur, not without evidence. There can also be a trust factor.

Now, here are some examples:

I hope you will have safe travels. (Desire with the expectation of a good outcome)
I have a hope that by electing this politician, things will be better. (Desire with expectation of a good outcome but with a trust in the person to do the right thing)

I believe we are all constantly hoping for things: A good life, health for today, to name a few.

But, are those things to be hoped for or in?

Let’s start with life in general. Can I with good reason hope for a nice, easy, uneventful, peaceful life? I would suggest that experience shows the opposite is almost guaranteed to happen somewhere along the way for each of us.

How about money. Can that be hoped in? What if I lose my job? What if I have disabling health problems? The Bible describes money as fleeting…with wings! And as uncertain. And that it shouldn’t be trusted in:

Proverbs 23:5 – “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.“

1 Timothy 6:17 – “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;“

Proverbs 11:28 – “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.“

How about the systems of the world around us, such as a college education guaranteeing a prosperous job? Sadly, Gen Z will be able to tell you how that’s working out.

How about people? Do we know anyone who is solid enough to never let us down? Someone who has the capacity to protect us and care for us perfectly always or make us happy? What about even people with power, who would seem to be the most capable? The Bible says they will fail too:

Psalm 146:3 – “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.“

Well then, wow. What’s left?

It would seem we would need something solid and firm, something constant, something capable.

I would submit to you there is only one thing that answers this, which really is only one Being, and that is God.

As God, He is certainly capable, because He has all power:

Psalm 115:3 – “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.“

Isaiah 55:11 – “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.“

Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:“

Genesis 18:14 – “Is any thing too hard for the Lord? …“

But the Bible also says He is solid and firm:

Psalm 18:2 – “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.“

The Bible also says He is constant and never changing:

Malachi 3:6 – “For I am the Lord, I change not; …“

But why trust in God? He is worthy, first of all, because He is God. But He’s also full of loving-kindnesses and tender mercies:

Psalm 25:6 – “Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.“

But then, what are we hoping in God for? A perfect, easy, peaceful life? Again, experience shows that is basically not the case for anyone, in some capacity.

But why wouldn’t God do that, since He’s capable and loving and merciful?

Because there’s one problem in the way, which actually is the reason for the lack of peace in our lives:

Sin

Sin is not following God’s commandments in some way, either by doing something He says not to, or not doing something He says.

The Bible says everyone has sinned in some way. Have we not, at some point in our lives, told a lie? Disobeyed our parents when we were children at least once?

Then that’s sin, and we have all sinned.

And the Bible says by nature we are slaves to sin:

John 8:34 – “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.“

And God is perfectly holy, so anything with sin cannot be around Him. In fact, He can’t even look at sin:

Habakkuk 1:13 – “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:“

God also says we will be judged for our sin:

John 3:18 – “… but he that believeth not is condemned already, …“

Hebrews 9:27 – “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:“

And the default sentence at that time is an eternal death!

Revelation 21:8 – “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.“

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 – “7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”

So then, is there true, long-lasting hope anywhere?

If so, where is it?

It seems true hope is not in things or people of this world. I would suggest that true hope must be for things past this time of our lives.

If peace all the time is not guaranteed as we live our lives here and now, and there is none with God if we’re still in servitude to sin and under its effects, is there a complete and lasting peace available for after this life?

The Bible says, “Yes there is!” But it cannot come from us.

God’s Son, Jesus Christ, added a human nature to Himself. He did this to take that condemnation noted above and put it on Himself to pay the penalty for us. He was crucified on a cross for this purpose. He also lived a life that perfectly kept God’s commandments, showing Himself perfectly righteous and holy, so that righteousness could be accounted toward us. And He rose again as a sign that God accepted His sacrifice.

In that way then, we can stand no more condemned, and God can now look at us with those pure eyes and see His Son’s righteousness.

Paul, a person who wrote a lot of the Bible, calls this “hope of eternal life” versus the eternal death noted above, and coming from God, who cannot lie!

Titus 1:1-2 – “1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”

2 Corinthians 5:19 – “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.“

Romans 4:22-25 – “22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.“

How do we then get this hope?

The John 3:18 verse above had much more to it:

John 3:18 – “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.“

We start by believing about our sin, our incapacity to get ourselves out of condemnation, and that we have no righteousness of ourselves.

But then what?

Then, we look to Christ Jesus for these things. We look to Him as the sacrifice for our sins when He died on the cross. We look to Him that He would account to our account His righteousness. And we humbly submit ourselves to Him in these things, as God, and as God saving us from sin and its consequences.

And He will set us free from being a slave to sin to be proper servants of Him, as it should be:

Romans 6:20-23 – “20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.“

It is our prayer that if your hope is still in people, or this world and the things of it, that you put all of those away and look only to the Lord Jesus as your hope and believe on Him.

We can trust Him, He cannot lie, and He is merciful and gracious to those who come to Him in this way:

John 6:37 – “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.“

We pray you put your trust in Him alone this day!

Psalm 118:8-9 – “8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.“

Psalm 42:5 – “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.“

Psalm 43:5 – “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.“

1 Peter 1:21 – “Who by him [Christ] do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.“

— David

P.S. I discuss in much more detail the situation between God and man in this blog post.

Category: David’s Digest (Page 1 of 16)

David’s Digest: A Closer Look at Jesus’ Response to the Devil’s Temptations

David’s Digest: A Brief Look at Fasting for Spiritual Purposes

David’s Digest: Hearts to Give Ourselves in All to Our Beloved

David’s Digest: Is Christ Altogether Lovely? – Part 3

David’s Digest: Is Christ Altogether Lovely? – Part 2

David’s Digest: Is Christ Altogether Lovely? – Part 1

David’s Digest: Where Is Hope?

Receive New Blog Posts by Email

Usually only 1-3 a month. We will never share your information nor solicit you.

Archives

Categories