“A living dog is better than a dead lion.” 
              — Ecclesiastes 9:4

Life is a precious thing, and in its humblest form it is superior to
death. This truth is eminently certain in spiritual things. It is
better to be the least in the kingdom of heaven than the greatest out
of it. The lowest degree of grace is superior to the noblest
development of unregenerate nature. Where the Holy Ghost implants
divine life in the soul, there is a precious deposit which none of the
refinements of education can equal. The thief on the cross excels
Caesar on his throne; Lazarus among the dogs is better than Cicero
among the senators; and the most unlettered Christian is in the sight
of God superior to Plato. Life is the badge of nobility in the realm of
spiritual things, and men without it are only coarser or finer
specimens of the same lifeless material, needing to be quickened, for
they are dead in trespasses and sins.

A living, loving, gospel sermon, however unlearned in matter and
uncouth in style, is better than the finest discourse devoid of unction
and power. A living dog keeps better watch than a dead lion, and is of
more service to his master; and so the poorest spiritual preacher is
infinitely to be preferred to the exquisite orator who has no wisdom
but that of words, no energy but that of sound. The like holds good of
our prayers and other religious exercises; if we are quickened in them
by the Holy Spirit, they are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ,
though we may think them to be worthless things; while our grand
performances in which our hearts were absent, like dead lions, are mere
carrion in the sight of the living God. O for living groans, living
sighs, living despondencies, rather than lifeless songs and dead calms.
Better anything than death. The snarlings of the dog of hell will at
least keep us awake, but dead faith and dead profession, what greater
curses can a man have? Quicken us, quicken us, O Lord!

On this day...

• 1 Samuel 5 - 2023
• 1 Samuel 4 - 2023
• Our open heart - 2011
• Perseverance of the saints - 2011
• Christ cures them that are dead - 2011
• Deal with sin as sin - 2011
• Neglect of the Bible - 2011
• Grace must find expression in life - 2011
• Invaluable Blood of Jesus - 2011
• Sin breaks the rules - 2011