Tuesday, February 27, 2018

GOD AS MORE WORTHY

GOD AS MORE WORTHY

There are two ways in which a person may attempt to displace from the human heart its love of the world—either by a demonstration of the world’s vanity, so that the heart shall be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regards from an object that is not worthy of it;

or, by setting forth another object, even God, as more worthy of its attachment, so that the heart shall be prevailed upon not to resign an old affection, which shall have nothing to succeed it, but to exchange an old affection for a new one.

My purpose is to show that from the constitution of our nature, the former method is altogether incompetent and ineffectual, and that the latter method will alone suffice for the rescue and recovery of the heart from the wrong affection that domineers over it. --  Thomas Chalmers

DEALING WITH DEATH, DAVID MURRAY

(from David Murray: Tabletalk Magazine) The Heidelberg Catechism asks the same question: “Since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die?” (Q. 42). Its answer: “Our death does not pay the debt of our sins. Rather it puts an end to our sinning and is our entrance into life.”

I want to expand upon that answer by demonstrating that although Christians do not have to die, God wisely allows the vast majority of believers to pass through death because of the immense spiritual benefits of the experience.

Dying brings us into communion with Christ’s sufferings. Christ’s death is different from the believer’s “penalty-free” death because Christ’s death was a penalty for sin—not His sin but our sin. However, dying reminds us of what Christ did for us. Like nothing else, it helps us understand the death Christ experienced for us, and so death brings us into closer communion with Him, increasing our love for Him (Phil. 3:10).

Dying gives us a unique experience of Christ’s all-sufficient grace. Bodily death is still a painful evil to believers. They will fear it and feel it. As the last moments approach, there is often great physical pain and, sometimes, spiritual fear. There is also the emotional distress of seeing loved ones’ weeping. At such times, dying believers can experience tremendous help from Christ. His grace is found to be more than sufficient at this time of greatest need (Heb. 4:16).

Dying transforms us into Christ’s image. One of the blessings of dying is the rapid ripening of the believer’s character and the acceleration of his sanctification. The outer person is growing weaker, but the inner is growing stronger and stronger (2 Cor. 4:16). Though death can take an ugly toll on the body of a Christian, his soul is swiftly beautified. I’m sure many pastors have seen how the approach of death can result in a believer’s “shining” in a way he never has before.

Dying is our last and perhaps greatest opportunity to witness for Christ’s glory. Death, in many ways, is the supreme test of faith. What an opportunity to speak of how faith in Christ helps us to die and gives victory over the greatest enemy (1 Cor. 15:55). How many unbelievers have been converted by the dying words of godly fathers or mothers? When the victory of faith is seen by the world and other Christians, it brings great glory to Christ, especially if the believer can speak of and commend Christ in these last moments (Phil. 1:20). The dying witness of believers is even celebrated in heaven (Rev. 12:11).

Dying brings us into Christ’s presence. Death hastens us into the presence of Christ and our coronation as His precious people. Death temporarily separates us from our bodies, but it unites our souls to Christ in a new and wonderful way. We will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). No longer will we see Him through a dark lens, but we will see Him face-to-face (1 Cor. 13:12).

In summary, Christians do not have to die, but they do die in order to have communion with Christ’s sufferings, to experience Christ’s grace, to be made into Christ’s image, to witness for Christ’s glory, and to bring them into Christ’s presence. The Christian’s death may on the surface look like the death of the non-Christian, but it is essentially and wonderfully different.

Monday, February 26, 2018

PRAYER IS THE OPEN ADMISSION

"Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing." -- John Piper.

SEE HIM - JOHN PIPER

See him on his knees,
Hear his constant pleas:
Heart of ev’ry aim:
“Hallowed be Your name.”
See him in the Word,
Helpless, cool, unstirred,
Heaping on the pyre
Heed until the fire.
See him with his books:
Tree beside the brooks,
Drinking at the root
Till the branch bear fruit.
See him with his pen:
Written line, and then,
Better thought preferred,
Deep from in the Word.
See him in the square,
Kept from subtle snare:
Unrelenting sleuth
On the scent of truth.
See him on the street,
Seeking to entreat,
Meek and treasuring:
“Do you know my King?”
See him in dispute,
Firm and resolute,
Driven by the fame
Of his Father’s name.
See him at his trade.
Done. The plan is made.
Men will have his skills,
If the Father wills.
See him at his meal,
Praying now to feel
Thanks and, be it graced,
God in ev’ry taste.
See him with his child:
Has he ever smiled
Such a smile before,
Playing on the floor?
See him with his wife,
Parable for life:
In this sacred scene
She is heaven’s queen.
See him stray. He groans.
“One is true,” he owns.
“What is left to me?
Fallibility.”
See him in lament
“Should I now repent?”
“Yes. And then proclaim:
All is for my fame.”
See him worshipping.
Watch the sinner sing,
Spared the burning flood
Only by the blood.
See him on the shore:
“Whence this ocean store?”
“From your God above,
Thimbleful of love.”
See him now asleep.
Watch the helpless reap,
But no credit take,
Just as when awake.
See him nearing death.
Listen to his breath,
Through the ebbing pain:
Final whisper: “Gain!”

UTTER DESPAIR

For when man through repentance has come to the knowledge of himself, he finds nothing but utter despair. Hence, wholly distrusting himself, he is forced to take refuge in the mercy of God. But when he has begun to do that, justice makes him afraid. Then Christ appears, who has satisfied the divine justice for our trespasses. When once there is faith in Him, then salvation is found; for He is the infallible pledge of God’s mercy.

– Ulrich Zwingli

A HOLY MAN KNOWS


A holy man knows that all sin strikes at the holiness of God, the glory of God, the nature of God, the being of God, and the law of God: and therefore his heart rises against all; he looks upon every sin as the Scribes and Pharisees that accused Christ; and as that Judas that betrayed Christ; and as that Pilate that condemned Christ; and as those soldiers that scourged Christ; and as those spears that pierced Christ. -- Thomas Brooks
Reference:   A Puritan Golden Treasury, compiled by I.D.E. Thomas, by permission of Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA. 2000, p. 261.

IT IS GOD WHO GIVES THE WILL AND POWER

"We can do nothing but by a supernatural grace of God.  It is God who gives the will.  It is God who gives the power."  -- Calvin.

This is not only true before conversion, but also true of every facet of the Christian life after conversion.  This is not only true for matters of "earthly providence and labor"  but also especially true of every spiritual matter. (witnessing, preaching, loving, walking by faith, serving, laboring, praying, reading, and all)

Friday, February 23, 2018

GOD IS MORE ATTENTIVE AND ACTIVE THAN WE ARE

SANCTIFICATION

'We often become discouraged because of our lack of progress in the Christian life. When we are discouraged about that, we need to remember that God cares more about that progress in the Christian life than we do." - Ligon Duncan


I want to make the same point about "making an impact"

EVANGELISM

We often become discouraged that we are not "making an impact" to see souls saved.

Yet, we need to remember that God is more focused, attentive, and active in saving sinners than we are.

DISCIPLESHIP

We often become discouraged that we are not "making an impact" to see saints mature.

Yet, we need to remember that God is more focused, attentive, and active in maturing saints than we are.  (also, to see the purity of His church, than we are.)



MUST READ EIGHT GREAT QUOTES

You called, You cried, You shattered my deafness, You sparkled, You blazed, You drove away my blindness, You shed Your fragrance, and I drew in my breath, and I pant for You.
-- Augustine

“To delight in the glory of Jesus Christ as He is revealed in the Gospel...that is the heart of the Christian's new sense. Although the new convert may have known the truths of the Gospel for many years, now they shine with a fresh light and beauty. Once they were dull doctrines which he was required to believe; now they illuminate all of life and bring joy to his heart. The unconverted professor of religion generally wants to talk about his experiences, but the new man in Christ wants to talk about the Savior who has captured his mind and heart.”

-- John K. LaShell, "Jonathan Edwards and the New Sense"

He will have the supreme affection of His saints; they shall find their all in Him; and to this end He sends afflictions, crosses, and disappointments, but to wean them from their idols and draw them to Himself.
-- Octavius Winslow

Sicknesses, losses, crosses, anxieties and disappointments seem absolutely needful to keep us humble, watchful and spiritual–minded. They are as needful as the pruning knife to the vine and the refiner’s furnace to the gold.
-- J.C. Ryle

Clear conviction of sin if the only true origin of dependence on another's righteousness, and, therefore of the Christian's peace of mind and cheerfulness.

-- Robert Murray M'Cheyne


Some may engage in reading with alacrity for a time, and afterwards feel it a burden, grievous to be borne. They may find conscience dragging them through the appointed task without any relish of the heavenly food. If this be the case with any, throw aside the fetter, and feed at liberty in the sweet garden of God. My desire is not to cast a snare upon you, but to be a helper of your joy.

-- Robert Murray M'Cheyne, regarding his Bible reading plan


As furnaces burn with ancient coal and not with the leaves that fall from today’s trees, so my heart is kindled with the fiery substance I find in the old Scripture-steeped sermons of Puritan pastors.
-- John Piper

Delighting in God always produces resignation and holy contentment. Whatever they have — they enjoy it as the undeserved gift of God; and they feel obligated and thankful for all. They would rather be conformed to God's will — than have their own will. They know that His appointments are best — because they are infinitely wise, holy, and gracious.
-- John MacDuff

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Excellency of the Treasure

Quote, "The earthen-ness of the vessel does not take away from the excellency of the treasure."

WOULD YOU STARVE YOUR KIDS

If you do not worship God in your family, you are living in positive sin; you may be quite sure you do not care for the souls of your family. If you neglect to spread a meal for your children to eat, would it not be said that you did not care for their bodies? And if you do not lead your children and servants to the green pastures of God’s Word, and to seek the living water, how plain is it that you do not care for their souls? Do it regularly, morning and evening. It is more needful than your daily food – more needful than your work. Robert Murray Mchenye

The Enjoying of Knowing and The Enjoying of Obeying

God is glorified most not merely by being known, nor by merely being dutifully obeyed, but by being enjoyed in the knowing and the obeying. The Enjoying of Knowing God. The Enjoying of Obeying God. The Enjoying of Knowing about God. If you did not "know about" a Car's Radio, then you would not "Know the Car" fully, nor "Enjoy the Car fully." If you did not "know about" the "Speed Limit sign", then you would not "Know the Law" fully, nor "Enjoy the Road fully." You remained driving 35 mph when you could have driven 65 mph, because you did not "know about freedom" (loss) You remained driving 65 mph when you crashed off the road in a curvy 35 mph zone, because you did not "know about the law which is designed for your good and safety." (loss)

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Visibility Does Not Equal Impact

Visibility does not equal Impact. Impact does not equal Visibility.

Monday, February 19, 2018

Powerful Verses

Deu 28:47  Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things,  Deu 28:48  therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.  Today, by grace alone in Christ alone through the Spirit alone: -- serve God with joyfulness and gladness of heart! -- preach with joyfulness and gladness of heart! -- witness with joyfulness and gladness of heart!

God Himself Supplies the Necessary Condition.

“God Himself supplies the necessary condition to come to Jesus. That’s why it is sola gratia, by grace alone, that we are saved.” - R. C. Sproul

The Finite cannot declare the Infinite.

While creation does declare the glory and attributes of God, creation is entirely insufficient, inadequate, and incapable of declaring the glory of God fully. Why? Because creation is finite, God is infinite. Creation presents billions of stars, but God's wisdom and power and glory and knowledge is finite; a billion is a lot less than an infinite number. My mind freezes because it is too much to consider or understand. The Finite cannot declare the Infinite. The Finite heavens, full of billions of galaxies, cannot declare the Infinite. They cannot declare God's infinite knowledge, power, wisdom, glory, goodness, greatness. They are "expressions" of His glory, but no expression will be exhaustive, because expressions are always finite, and the glory is always infinite.

Unending Glory

If God’s glory and our joy in him are one, and yet we are not infinite as he is, then our union with him in the allsatisfying experience of his glory can never be complete, but must be increasing with intimacy and intensity forever and ever. The perfection of heaven is not static. Nor do we see at once all there is to see—for that would be a limit on God’s glorious self-revelation, and therefore, his love. Yet we do not become God. Therefore, there will always be more, and the end of increased pleasure in God will never come. “I suppose it will not be denied by any, that God, in glorifying the saints in heaven with eternal felicity, aims to satisfy his infinite grace or benevolence, by the bestowment of a good [which is] infinitely valuable, because eternal: and yet there never will come the moment, when it can be said, that now this infinitely valuable good has been actually bestowed.” - Edwards, from Piper.

Horatius Quote

"The secret of a believer’s holy walk is his continual recurrence to the blood of the Surety, and his daily [communion] with a crucified and risen Lord. All divine life, and all precious fruits of it, pardon, peace, and holiness, spring from the cross. All fancied sanctification which does not arise wholly from the blood of the cross is nothing better than Pharisaism. If we would be holy, we must get to the cross, and dwell there; else, notwithstanding all our labor, diligence, fasting, praying and good works, we shall be yet void of real sanctification, destitute of those humble, gracious tempers which accompany a clear view of the cross." ~ Horatius Bonar

Saturday, February 17, 2018


To Know God is to Rest in Him.

To know God is to love God
To know God is to enjoy God
To know God is to trust God
To know God is to obey God
To know God is to proclaim God
To know God is pray to Him.
To know God is to sing His Praises.
To know God is to seek Him.
To know God is to rest in Him.

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Valley of Vision Feb 2018

Occupy the throne of my heart,
take full possession and reign supreme,
lay low every rebel lust,
let no vile passion resist thy holy war;
manifest thy mighty power,
and make me thine for ever.
—Valley of Vision

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Remember Christ's Pardonings

"Remember your sins, Christ’s pardonings; your deserts, Christ’s merits; your weakness, Christ’s strength; your pride, Christ’s humility; your many infirmities, Christ’s restorings; your guilt, Christ’s blood; your failings, Christ’s assistance; your wants, Christ’s fullness; your temptations, Christ’s tenderness; your vileness, Christ’s righteousness." ~ Thomas Wilcox 

Monday, February 12, 2018

What is a Christian

What is a Christian? One who, by the grace of God, can declare that he justly deserves the wrath of God, save for the mercy of Jesus Christ alone. He casts aside all hope in his self-righteousness and puts away all pride in his own goodness. One who is glad to be regarded as spiritually bankrupt, a poor sinner, saved by the free grace and righteousness of Christ and, with a renewed heart, yields in allegiance to Him alone as LORD and sovereign. In a word, one who "glories in Christ Jesus and has no confidence in the flesh." (Phil. 3:3)
To be a Christian, is to be in Christ ... to be forgiven and granted a place at His table. We affirm salvation is by Christ alone - its all of grace. Good will, works, obedience and merit add nothing to our just standing before God (Rom 9:16; Gal 3:3; Eph 2:9). Neither these nor anything else can help us attain or maintain our just standing before God. Obedience flows from the cross, it does not contribute to it. It is a fruit of our union with Christ not the root. We obey, because we are saved, not in order to attain or maintain our just standing before God (that is Christ's office, and His alone).  It only as we are joined to Christ by the Holy Spirit that we have life... that the power of sin is broken and we are declared righteous in His sight - and all our sins, both now and forever are forgiven on account of His name alone. AMEN
A Christian, then, is one who is called by God, and by the grace of God has been made a disciple, a follower of Christ and one who clings to the gospel. Furthermore, a Christian is one who is prepared to suffer for the sake of Christ, if God so ordains it.-- Monergism.

Joining the Unending Worship Service

“We don’t start to worship and then conclude it the way we start and conclude a church service. We join worship. It is universal-going on all over the world-and it is going on in Heaven too all the time night and day. When we begin to sing, praise, give thanks or extol the beauties of our Savior, we are joining an activity already in progress”

Meaningful

[Not only is all your affliction momentary, not only is all your affliction light in comparison to eternity and the glory there. But all of it is totally meaningful. Every millisecond of your pain, from the fallen nature or fallen man, every millisecond of your misery in the path of obedience is producing a peculiar glory you will get because of that.

I don’t care if it was cancer or criticism. I don’t care if it was slander or sickness. It wasn’t meaningless. It’s doing something! It’s not meaningless. Of course you can’t see what it’s doing. Don’t look to what is seen.

When your mom dies, when your kid dies, when you’ve got cancer at 40, when a car careens into the sidewalk and takes her out, don’t say, “That’s meaningless!” It’s not. It’s working for you an eternal weight of glory.

Therefore, therefore, do not lose heart. But take these truths and day by day focus on them. Preach them to yourself every morning. Get alone with God and preach his word into your mind until your heart sings with confidence that you are new and cared for.] -- John Piper.

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Platt Video of the Day


SEES IN SECRET

Somebody is being interviewed at a conference with cameras watching, another person is at the most despairing nursing home and singing about Jesus with faith and love for those weak bodies who still have mind enough to benefit from the minister's testimony. James tells us not to "go speak at conferences, be professors, and keynote speakers." James tells us to visit the widows. May we not overlook the significance of giving a cup of cold water (a very unseen and private ministry). May we give (truth, kindness, wisdom, love) in secret, and He who sees in secret will reward thee openly.

Small Things

God's grace made Jonathan Edwards who he was, and yet God used "means" to develop Edwards. It may have been Edward's Dad, Mom, Uncle, Aunt, Brother, sister, neighbor, friend at church, christian co-worker, and countless "unknown nobodies" behind the scenes to develop, direct, nurture, and guide Edwards along the way. May we (as I often am) not strive to be Edwards (asking for some public ministry and public attention), but may we strive to be faithful in the secret and hidden ways to minister to others. A small word in the parking lot or at dinner table with friends can be just as pivotal and useful as anything else. If a paramedic found me all alone in the woods, His medicine (good news and truth) would be just as life giving as if I had received it in front of millions.

Saturday, February 3, 2018

GREET THE DAY

Rough draft, flaws and all. As you begin the day, greet it. And if the day welcomes you, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not welcoming, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you, nor listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you end that day. My goal was to substitute "people/unbelievers" (which is still true) with the concept of "day" such as having a good day or a difficult day; My goal was not to edit Scripture, but exemplify how the fundamental principle is still true regardless if we are literally travelling city to city as the original disciples did. I've been living in the same house for over 8 years, so I wanted to take the premise of the passage and extend it to something that would strengthen me as we also face the word's apathy, indifference, and deafness.

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Prayer Closet

A personal, private, prayer closet comes from an awareness that education alone is entirely insufficient.