YOUR DAMNATION IS JUST

 “O poor sinners! Your damnation is just, if you refuse grace brought home by Jesus Christ himself to your very doors. The Lord grant this may not be thy case who readest these lines.”

— John Flavel

2LCF 11.1

 “Those whom God effectually calls, he also freely justifies,

“not by 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 righteousness into them,

“but by pardoning their sins, and by 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 and accepting their persons as righteous;

“not for anything wrought in them, or done by them,

“but 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲;

“not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness;

“but by imputing Christ’s 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 unto the whole law, and 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith,

“which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.”

— 2LCF (1689), 11.1

AS WICKED AS OTHERS

 

Happiness beyond this World

 

William Booth Chief Dangers

 

One Track Mind

 There can be a way to play chess frequently at local clubs, and wear Christian shirts, have a Christian book to skim in between games, and breach the topics of Scripture after the game in casual conversation; One time at the chess club two guys had a theological argument,  I thought their tone was too harsh to then join as a voice, but maybe 7 days later I could go back and add my thoughts to one of them when the tension went down;  Charlotte has a lot of Eastern Indians, and I imagine all they know is Hinduism, so I could probe their views and ask, "So what is your understanding of Christianity" realizing that they only draw conclusions from watching Joel Osteen or perhaps considering Catholicism to be Christian.  

Point being, hobbies can be a way to get to know people, certainly evangelism to strangers is honoring to God, but more than likely they will never be interested in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th dialogues because our discussion is only on one topic;  If they know we may also talk about family, job, health, hobbies, life, then they will allow for a repeat discussion on the Bible;  Though we are not trying to "sell" the Bible, it would be the same affect if all someone ever did was begin with, "Do you want free Tupperware" as their only talking point.  Once we have heard about Tupperware for the 7th time, we would hope this person is able to talk to me about something more than one topic.

Discipline

 

HAVE LEFT THEIR HEARTS BEHIND THEM

 

Not because we were worthy

 

Advance by Prayer

 

Persecution from those bearing the name of Christ

 

Dark Clouds bring Waters

 

SECURITY IS IN GOD'S HAND

 "The only reason for security is that our salvation is in God's hand." John Cavlin

PRICE OF WHEAT

 “If God’s providence is our inheritance, we need not worry about the price of wheat.”

Charles H. Spurgeon

A FEW LEAVES

 O my heart, my haughty heart! dost thou well to be discontent, when God has given thee the whole tree, with all the clusters of comfort growing on it, because he suffers the wind to blow down a few leaves? -- John Flavel

NOT OUR OWN FAITH

 For we are not saved by believing in our own salvation, nor by believing anything whatsoever about ourselves. We are saved by what we believe about the Son of God and His righteousness. The gospel believed saves; not the believing in our own faith.

— Horatius Bonar

Divine Invasion

 

DEATH HAS NO STING

 

Its All Egypt

 

Long for him with all the affection of our hearts

 

 It is sometimes said that the doctrine of predestination exposes God to the charge of injustice. But this is hardly correct. We could speak of injustice only if man had a claim on God, and God owed man eternal salvation.

—John Owen

Believer's Boldness

 The believer’s boldness:

1. Is rooted in Christ’s work (Eph 3:12) 2. Is Spirit dependent (Acts 4:13) 3. Is Prompted by urgency & necessitates the presence of fear 4. Is Provided by prayer (Acts 4:29) 5. Is a Powerful contagion to other believers (Phil 1:14)

I HEREWITH REJECT

 ....I herewith reject and condemn as sheer error all doctrines which glorify our free will, as diametrically contrary to the help and grace of our Savior Jesus Christ. Outside of Christ death and sin are our masters and the devil is our god and lord, and there is no power or ability, no cleverness or reason, with which we can prepare ourselves for righteousness and life or seek after it. On the contrary, we must remain the dupes and captives of sin and the property of the devil to do and to think what pleases them and what is contrary to God and his commandments." -- Martin Luther (1528)

INHERIT THE KINGDOM

 

Mat 25:34  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 

Shadow

 

O Blessed Conquest

 

JUST LIKE OTHER PEOPLE

 

Our Father

 

TAUGHT THEOLOGICALLY

 

I Stand Here Freed

 

NO TRUTH BOMBS

 

Prayer is not Performance.

 Prayer is not performance but climbing up to the heart of God.

Martin Luther

(in other words, climbing up on the lap of God, the love of God, the fellowship of God.)

Self

 

Repentance toward God

 "I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:20-21

"Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" always go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. This is the only way that sinners obtain eternal salvation. Both are necessary. Both are vital. Both are gifts of God's grace.

True repentance is "toward God." Paul preached "repentance toward God," because there is a repentance that is not toward God. There is a legal repentance that is no more than a sense of guilt, a dread of God's wrath, and a fear of Hell. But repentance toward God is produced by the goodness of God (Romans 2:4), not the wrath of God. It comes from the revelation of redemption by Christ (Zechariah 12:10), not from the fear of judgment.

Repentance, in its essence, is a change of heart toward God, as illustrated in the prodigal son (Luke 15:14-20), the publican (Luke 18:13), and David (Psalm 51:4).

Repentance is the honest acknowledgment and confession of sin to God (1 John 1:9). It is an acknowledgment by a person that he has offended God by his sin, that his very heart is enmity against God, and that it is right for God to punish him for his sin (Psalm 51:4; Romans 8:7).

Repentance is sitting in judgment with God against yourself, abhorring yourself by reason of your sin, and pleading for mercy on the basis of pure grace through the merits of Christ alone. Only God Himself can cause a person thus to repent (Acts 5:31; Jeremiah 31:18; Lamentations 5:21).

Three Great Quotes

 ''God knoweth we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requireth no more than he giveth, and giveth what he requireth, and accepteth what he giveth." - Richard Sibbes

There is no form of sinfulness to which you are addicted which Christ cannot remove. - Charles Spurgeon

''Content not yourselves with...divine truth...you accidentally gain in conversation; but let it be very much your business to search for it, and that with the same diligence and labor with which men are wont to dig in mines of silver and gold." - Jonathan Edwards

"For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish." ~Jeremiah 31:25

Sin Remains

 Why does God allow sin to remain in His people?

Thomas Boston, 1676-1732 (edited and summarized by Shane Lems)

"Why do I keep struggling with the same sinful thoughts?"
"Why can't I just gain victory over lust and pride?"
"Why does God allow sin to remain in His people?"

These are questions Christians ask from time to time. We think of how nice it would be if we didn't have to struggle with sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. But, in His sovereignty, God has a reason for allowing sin to remain in His children. Here are some of Thomas Boston's answers:

  1. God has ordered the matter of the believer's sanctification that sin is left to be active in their souls while here on earth, for their further humiliation. For example, God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble. And so we find David, after his grievous fall, grows in the grace of humility.

  2. The Lord allows sin to remain in His people so they are stirred to the frequent exercise of prayer. The soul feels the continual need of pardon, and therefore must be much lying at God's footstool. When His children grow remiss in their duty, the Lord sometimes allows them to fall into some grievous sin to awaken them and wound their conscience, so that they cry to Him like a child who falls into a fire.

  3. The sin left in us makes us more watchful of our hearts which still are prone to wander. When a prisoner escapes, and they catch him, they will put him into more close custody than before. We walk through a world filled with many snares; if we were not watchful, we would be caught in them!

  4. Just like God allowed some Canaanites to remain in the land to try His people, so He has left remains of natural corruption in them for their exercise and trial. Indwelling sin makes us lean on Christ's strength and use God's armor in the battle.

  5. Through sin is left in us, we are made more and more to feel our need for Christ and His precious blood for the removal of our guilt daily contracted anew, and for the strengthening of our souls in our Christian course--so that we come out of the wilderness resting upon our Beloved.

  6. Through the indwelling sin that remains, Christ is glorified. While the enemy, sin, dwells in us, Christ's grace and Holy Spirit are at work in us so that the enemy cannot overcome, domineer, or destroy us. Because of indwelling sin we know that we cannot justify ourselves, but can only be justified by the perfect obedience of Christ, which we lay hold of by faith. In this, Christ is glorified.

  7. To see how God makes such an excellent medicine from such poisonous ingredients, cannot be but very delightful! Romans 8:28

The struggle against indwelling sin is difficult for sure. But when we remember God's sovereign use of indwelling sin in His people for their good and His glory, it helps us press on in the faith with our eyes fixed on Jesus. He will one day graciously give us the full victory over sin!

"Those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son!" Romans 8:29

"In keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness!" 2 Peter 3:13

"To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." Jude 1:24-25

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Imputed to Him, Imputed to Us.

 

Not only is the Sin of Man imputed to Christ,

But the righteousness of Christ is Transferred to us, to our Account.  -- R.C. Sproul.

GO TO JESUS CHRIST

 “My dear brethren, let me beseech you to go to Jesus Christ; tell Him how you are assaulted by the evil one, who lies in wait for your souls; tell Him you are not able to master him in your own strength; beg His assistance, and you shall find Him ready to help you.”

— George Whitefield