God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)
Take heed of drowsiness in hearing; drowsiness shows much irreverence. How lively are many when they are about the world, but in the worship of God how drowsy?… In the preaching of the Word, is not the bread of life broken to you; and will a man fall asleep at his food? Which is worse, to stay from a sermon, or sleep at sermon?
The Lord Jesus Christ is very jealous of your love, O believer. Did he not choose you? He cannot bear that you should choose another. Did he not buy you with his own blood? He cannot endure that you should think you are your own, or that you belong to this world. He loved you with such a love that He could not stop in heaven without you; He would sooner die than that you should perish; He stripped himself to nakedness that He might clothe you with beauty; He bowed his face to shame and spitting that He might lift you up to honor and glory, and He cannot endure that you should love the world, and the things of the world. His love is strong as death towards you, and therefore will be cruel as the grave… He loves you so much that He cannot endure that anything should stand between your heart's love and Him. Be careful Christians, you that are married to Christ; remember, you are married to a jealous husband.
