Effectual Atonement

Do you profess Effectual Atonement (for whom Christ died)?  [diagnostic question; and a redundant one at that].   [There is no such thing as uneffectual atonement, and there is no such thing as an atoned person going to hell without sin accounted to him.]

DQ on TOTAL INABILITY

Diagnostic Questions concerning Total Inability.

Is the will of fallen man free from: sin, the slavery of sin, the alienated mind, the corrupt heart, the nature of wrath, the captivity of Satan, the sovereign purpose of God, spiritual blindness, spiritual deafness?  What verses evidence such an assertion?  If such verses exist, then why is there even a need for the theoretical "prevenient grace".  What verses teach that such a system exists?   [diagnostic questions for the Arminian]

FIRST PRINCIPLES

It may seem a harsh sentiment; but he who in his soul believes that man does of his own free-will turn to God, cannot have been taught of God, for that is one of the first principles taught us when God begins with us,..

..Charles H. Spurgeon....

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Love for God is the only sufficient motive for evangelism. Self-love will give way to self-centeredness; love for the lost will fail with those whom we cannot love…

Only our Love for God and, more important, His love for us will keep us from the dangers which beset us. When the desire for popularity with men, or for success in human terms, tempts us to water down the Gospel, to make it palatable, then only if we love God will we stand last by His truth and His ways. 

--- John Cheeseman.

FRONTLETS

Deut 6:8 ....they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

This is not some heavy, slavish, burdensome, and bashing drudgery from God which is intended to rival Pharaoh's whip for more bricks without straw (more Bible without rest); rather, this is a joyful nourishment of the soul. I can remember Thanksgiving as a teen and getting two large slices of Pumpkin Pie at once. The second slice was not some burdensome weight imposed by my Aunt, but a delightful eagerness desired by my stomach. You have heard the phrase, "his eyes were bigger than his stomach" in loading his plate with too much food; well here, our eyes are to be huge, huge on Scripture, hungry not for the tastiness of bread that perishes, but for the Living Bread of eternal life. A few months ago I loaded up a bowl with Chocolate Ice Cream and my wife chuckled at how large of a serving I had prepared; I simply said, "Well, it is good, what can I say." May God give us the same heart for Christ and Scripture, that we heap a large serving before our eyes from a joyful, delightful love for the God of the Word, and the Word of God.

THE POWER OF THE PARACLETE

The power of our apologetic is not in our penmanship or publications, but in the Paraclete; and He blows where He wishes.  Rest in Christ when He is not blowing, Rejoice in Christ when He is blowing.

FELLOWSHIP

Whose fellowship and attention do you desire most? Your spouse, your children, your parents, your boss or co-workers, your pastor or deacons, local Christians, or someone online.....or that fellowship and attention afforded by the prayer closet? from whence no one sees or hears, but God.

1 JOHN 1 The Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-
2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us-
3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And we are writing these things so that our1  joy may be complete.  

 

ELECTION OF GRACE

Romans 11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.  (Is there a remnant according to the election of reacting to men meeting the condition and command of faith?)

Isaiah 40

Isa 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

MORE THAN CHRIST

Did the Father need more (or require more) than the perfection of Christ in order to make certain the regeneration of your soul? [diagnostic questions]

 Do you profess Effectual Atonement (for whom Christ died)?  [diagnostic question; and a redundant one at that].   [There is no such thing as uneffectual atonement, and there is no such thing as an atoned person going to hell without sin accounted to him.]

CANNOT OBEY

"Sinners cannot obey the gospel, any more than the law, without renewal of heart."
- J.I. Packer

DEISTIC god OVER SALVATION

it seems to me that Arminians believe in a Sovereign God over creation, & a deistic god over salvation. It sounds almost like God set out the terms of salvation & is just sitting back waiting for men to make the right choice. This is such a sad view of the One Who is presented in Scripture Who is Mighty to Save!-- Shon D.

SPURGEON ON FREE-WILL

Free will doctrine – what does it? It magnifies man into God; it declares God’s purposes a nullity, since they cannot be carried out unless men are willing. It makes God’s will a waiting servant to the will of man, and the whole covenant of grace dependent upon human action. Denying election on the ground of injustice it holds God to be a debtor to sinners, so that if He gives grace to one He is b......ound to do so to all. It teaches that the blood of Christ was shed equally for all men and since some are lost, this doctrine ascribes the difference to man’s own will, thus making the atonement itself a powerless thing until the will of man gives it efficacy. Those sentiments dilute the scriptural description of man’s depravity, and by imputing strength to fallen humanity, rob the Spirit of the glory of His effectual grace: this theory says in effect that it is of him that willeth, and of him that runneth, and not of God that showeth mercy

- C.H. Spurgeon "A Jealous God"

SPURGEON ON THE WORLD

The whole world is gone after him.' Did all the world go after Christ? 'Then went all Judea, and were baptized of him in Jordan.' Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem baptized in Jordan? 'Ye are of God, little children', and 'the whole world lieth in the wicked one.' Does 'the whole world' there mean everybody? If so, how was it, then, that there were some who were 'of God?' The words 'world' and 'all' are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture; and it is very rarely that 'all' means all persons, taken individually. The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts—some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted his redemption to either Jew or Gentile." 
--(Charles H. Spurgeon, Particular Redemption, A Sermon, 28 Feb 1858).

CREDIT

Do you give God credit for your election? Do you give God credit for meeting the condition of your election? or, Do you take credit for meeting the condition for your election?

Thankful

We have a lot to be thankful for!  Have you thanked God today?  Have you thanked God for what He has done?  Matthew 11:25  At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

WRITING DOES NOT CHANGE HEARTS

If our writings in themselves good change the hearts of men, then we should dismiss all our armed forces and assign them to publishing houses, mailing books to the enemy in WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and such; If the book did not convince the leader, then surely reduce their forces in half. Christians march in peace and peacefulness, knowing the King shall come with a sword out of His mouth, and the blood shall rise to the horse's bridle.

Rev 6:15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave5 and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,  16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,  17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

THE HEART IS THE ROOT

Man is like a tree. His heart, not his will alone, is the root. There is no possible way by which the will can choose to produce fruit contrary to the character of the root. If the root is bad, the tree is bound by its very nature to produce evil fruit.  Man is like a person standing alongside his treasure chest. There is no possibility of bringing pure gold out of a box filled only with rusty steel. The contents of the heart determine what words and deeds may be brought out. Far from being neutral, the will must reach into the heart for its choices. Every thought, word and deed will partake of the nature of the treasure within.   Man is like a stream which cannot rise above its source. If the fountain is polluted, the outflow will be evil. If the source be sweet, the stream will not be bitter and cannot choose to be so.  These three illustrations alike contain the same lesson. What a man is determines what he chooses. Choices of the will always reveal the character of the heart, because the heart determines the choices. ~  Walter J. Chantry

DOWNWARD

"Growth in grace is growth downward. It is the forming of a lower estimate of ourselves. It is a deepening realization of our nothingness. It is a heartfelt recognition that we are not worthy of the least of God's mercies."
- A.W. Pink

THOROUGHLY CONVINCED

"Unless we are thoroughly convinced that without Christ we are under the eternal curse of God, as the worst of His enemies, we shall never flee to Him for refuge."
~John Owen

HAPPY TO GAZE ON JESUS

Happy were it, if puzzled and perplexed Christians would turn their eyes from the defects that are in their obedience, to the fullness and completeness of Christ's obedience; and see themselves complete in Him, when most lame and defective in themselves. - John Flavel,

MY HOPE IS IN WHOSE ABILITY

During your proclamation of Christ to a lost world, is your ultimate hope placed in the ability of the sinner to know Jesus, love Jesus, and hence place faith and repentance towards Jesus? Would you articulate that to the sinner? Well, ultimately my hope is placed in your ability to know Jesus, love Jesus, and trust Him. (Psalm 146:5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, )

  My laptop has an electrical cord, if the cord did not exist, nor the battery exist, the laptop would have no power. My mind, heart, soul, and body is a laptop and cord, but the power does not come from the cord, it comes from an outside source; the person of the Holy Spirit, uniting me to Christ; He is the Vine, His is the Power, and the Glory and Dominion forever. Who will dare say that the power comes from himself?

Some people have a theology which supports this, others do not; If someone seems uncertain of the claims of Scripture and Christ, then can you tell them, "I have good news dear soul, God has the power and grace to grant you faith, repentance, understanding, a new heart, humility, clarity, and trust in Him; a desire to pray, seek Him, love Him, and confess Him." others are simply left with saying, "Well, God has already done his part, and the rest is up to you to muster up your own faith, repentance, new heart, humility, love, and desire; I hope you press on and make the difference."

 

 

ENTIRELY DEPENDENT

When it comes to the salvation of your sinful soul, are you entirely dependent on the power and grace of God, even to acknowledge that your dependency came from God, not from your ability to make yourself dependent.

Contempt

The god of this twentieth century no more resembles the Supreme Sovereign of Holy Writ, than does the dim flickering of a candle the glory of the midday sun. The god who is now talked about in the average pulpit, spoken of in the ordinary Sunday School, mentioned in much of the religious literature of the day, and preached in most of the so-called Bible Conferences is the figment of human imagination, an invention of mushy sentimentality. The heathen outside of the pale of Christendom form gods out of wood and stone, while the millions of heathen inside Christendom manufacture a god out of their own carnal mind. In reality, they are but atheists, for there is no other possible alternative between an absolutely supreme God, and no God at all. A god whose will is resisted, whose designs are frustrated, whose purpose is checkmated, possesses no title to Deity, and so far from being a fit object of worship, merits nothing but contempt!" ~ A.W.Pink

CONTENTMENT IS

Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.
Jeremiah Burroughs

Instead of complaining at his lot, a contented man is thankful that his condition and circumstances are no worse than they are. Instead of greedily desiring something more than the supply of his present need, he rejoices that God still cares for him. Such an one is “content” with such as he has (Heb. 13:5).--A.W. Pink.

WHERE HE WISHES

I am observed years back, "We cannot put the Holy Spirit in a bottle, and think to shake him out like a genie upon presenting enough solid information in our preaching and conversations. He blows where He wishes, and though God can be very pleased with the sermon and sheep be nourished, yet the Holy Spirit may not wish to blow through that day for the purpose of regenerating anyone"; So while solid paper and pen presentations are great to an extent, they cannot be worshiped, because they do not possess power in themselves, and if we think they do, then we will observe years of frustration as the field continues to be barren and fruitless.

EVERYTHING IS NECESSARY

Everything is necessary that he sends. Nothing can be necessary that he withholds.--

John Newton -

Man is not able

Helpful beginnings to church unity. We confess that #1. Sinful Man is not able in mind, heart, body, nature, or will to love God, trust God, please God, follow God, obey God, or prepare himself for such in any form to any degree.; (What professing Christian wants to say rather that: Man is able, after all I was able (...).

 

Helpful beginnings to church unity. We confess that #2. The bible presents a group of people called "the elect" whom God elected. Because Sinful Man is not able in mind, heart, body, nature, or will to love God, trust God, please God, follow God, obey God, or prepare himself for such in any form to any degree--we confess that those whom God elects, and calls the elect, were not elected by God because they the sinner met a condition or command of God, be it the 613 commandments, the commandment of repentance and faith in Christ, or any other condition or command.‎(What professing Christian wants to say rather that: Man must meet a condition of God, before God considers him elect, after all I was able to meet the condition of God so that he considered me elect on the basis of meeting His condition.)

 Helpful beginnings to church unity.  We confess that #3.  The bible presents the grace of God as that which is a working of the divine sovereign effectual power of God the Holy Spirit and is the effectual and sole cause of a sinners new birth, repentance, faith, changed: mind, heart, nature, will, and body.

Fattening the children of Perdition

Verily, we know not what an evil it is to indulge ourselves, and to make an idol of our will. Once I would make much ado, if I saw not the world carved and set in order to my liking; now I am silent, when I see God is fattening and feeding the children of perdition. I pray God, I may never find my will again.

Samuel Rutherford

SHAKING OUR FOUNDATIONS

"We turn to God when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it is God who is shaking them." not sure of who said it, but found it on the wall of Rose Corpus.

PRINCIPAL CAUSES

Therefore the Christian heart, since it has been thoroughly persuaded that all things happen by God's plan, and that nothing takes place by place by chance, will ever look to him as the principal causes of things, yet will give secondary attention to the secondary causes in their proper place. 

~ John Calvin

TROUBLED CONSCIENCE

"The faithful preaching of the gospel is never soothing to the impenitent, so that the removal of an outstanding preacher is commonly a matter of rejoicing for those whose consciences he has troubled." 

 --Leon Morris 'The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries' page 146

THIS THUNDERBOLT

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD.

THIS, therefore, is also essentially necessary and wholesome for Christians to know: That God foreknows nothing by contingency, but that He foresees, purposes, and does all things according to His immutable, eternal, and infallible will....Martin Luther......By this thunderbolt, "Free-will" is thrown prostrate, and utterly dashed to pieces. Those, therefore, who would assert "Free-will," must either deny this thunderbolt, or pretend not to see it, or push it from them. But, however, before I establish this point by any arguments of my own, and by the authority of Scripture, I will first set it forth in your words....Martin Luther...(thanks Victor C.)

NOT MADE TO BEAR THEM

Many , even most, of our problems come from attaching our hopes to things that were not made to bear them - things that will sink like stones in water and pull us down with them. - Mark Dever

 

THESE TWO QUESTIONS

"All the disputes between us and the Arminians may be reduced to these two questions: 1. Is God dependent upon man, or is man dependent on God? 2. Is man a debtor to God, or God a debtor to man? ~ Augustus Toplady (1740-1778)

Who am I

In 1507, Luther was ordained to the priesthood. When he celebrated his first Mass, as he held the bread and cup for the first time, he was so awestruck at the thought of transubstantiation that he almost fainted. “I was utterly stupefied and terror-stricken,” he confessed. “I thought to myself, ‘Who am I that I should lift up mine eyes or raise my hands to the divine majesty? For I am dust and ashes and full of sin, and I am speaking to the living, eternal and true God’” (Luther, cited in Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995], 238)

quoted from:  http://www.ligonier.org/blog/fortress-truth-martin-luther/

 

 

Stick to John 10

Did you hear about the shepherd who went out looking for his sheep? He did his tee-totally best to find them, but it turns out they followed the voice of a stranger and escaped his best efforts to rescue them. So here we are today telling people what the shepherd attempted, instead of what the shepherd accomplished. Not me. I'll stick to John 10. All of it.

Heathen Philosophers

"They go and set up free-will with the heathen philosophers and say that a man's free will is the cause why God chooseth and not another, contrary to all the scriptures."

- William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536)

Jesus accomplished

We don't go around telling people what Jesus attempted, we proclaim what Jesus accomplished. 

 Some OT passover Lamb was able to "secure the safety" of the infant he was slain for, and yet men today suggest that the real Divine Passover Lamb is not able to "secure the safety" of the children of Abraham. How can an animal do better than the God that made it.

 

Shine the Attention on Jesus

What would you think of someone who was a member of your congregation who said, "Our confessional says we believe in Jesus, and just as the confession says, I believe in Jesus;  but the past 7 years you keep on insisting that the Jesus we believe in is actually fully God, and I have never believed that and still don't believe that "detail", can't we just sit back and agree that we believe in Jesus, and let it go at that?"  Can this "Detail" about His Person be "generalized" and "accepted?"  Yet "true" Arminians do the same thing in regards to Sin, Depravity, Election, Atonement, Sovereignty, Regeneration;  Can we not just agree in the "general point" we are saved by grace through faith, and avoid your "details" of what that means,  Are we going to make a primary role of Christ "atoning for sins" to be something left to vague generalities that leaves enough wiggle room for us both, when we dare not leave wiggle room for those who deny his deity, and yet accept the liability for those who malign His work and accomplishment.

If Jesus saved everyone He died for, then give Him credit for it, if He didn't save everyone He died for then embarrass Him for it;  Why keep the accomplishment of Christ a mystery.  When you do that, you rob Him of the Glory that is due Him.  How can one grow in his boast of Christ, when he refuses to study the very cause of his boasting.  What good is getting this soul addicted to generalities to evangelize, when he cannot even boast of specifically what Christ accomplished, because He refuses to look into what Christ accomplished.   Be honest and say, "Trust in the same Jesus I do, he made salvation available for Goliath, but overall Jesus didn't make any other difference for that sinner;  either Jesus fell short, and my boasting wanes, or Jesus didn't intended to "truly save him" and thus Jesus may not have intended to "truly save you", but He did intend to make your salvation a "possiblity"

If Jesus saved everyone He died for, then give Him credit for it, if He didn't save everyone He died for then embarrass Him for it; Or else, be clear and own up to the fact you don't think Jesus died to "save"; Whatever you do, don't bury the accomplishment of Jesus as some fuzzy vague generality that we, in effect, cannot be proclaim clearly.

 

The savior is waiting to enter your heart?  Well, keep him.  My Savior didn't wait, He worked, and is working through the Holy Spirit, He will give a new heart, He didn't wait, He wrought;  He didn't die for Esau, and He is not waiting on Esau.  I proclaim to you, Trust the Jesus that accomplishes, not the Jesus that attempts and fails.  We don't go around telling people what Jesus attempted, we proclaim what Jesus accomplished.

So they will cling to Him.

(f) God permits the world to hate his own, so they will forsake the filth of the world, and cling to him. (Geneva Bible Footnote on: Gen 46:34 That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, [and] also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd [is] an (f) abomination unto the Egyptians. )

More Diagnostics

Many are called, but few are chosen; Narrow is the way that leads to life eternal; but no sweat, my will is reliable enough to place me among those few on the narrow way. (how foolish and how vain; Your faith and hope are placed in your own will);  Are you saying your will is reliable enough to place you among those few on the narrow way?

AVOIDING GOD

As one insightful friend told me once (Scott T.) "Many men go to church in order to avoid God." (as it is some manner of hiding in a bush, or finding fig leaves).

rough draft

Arminians ask "Why witness if God has already determined who will be saved?"; But in reality such a question is that of an Open Theist! Because if God foreknows (using the foresee fallacy) who will say "yes" then our witnessing cannot "increase" those who will be saved; So why does the Arminian witness if it does not increase who says "yes"; To avoid open-theism, the Arminian must answer, "Because God knew before the foundation of the world who will choose Him, and God uses the means of witnessing to accomplish His end." Whereas the Calvinist answers, "Because God knew before the foundation of the world whom He has chosen, and God uses the means of witnessing to accomplish His end." The number of converts will be the same in either system, because God's knowledge is the same in either system. (unless of course one is really an Open Theist, and God's knowledge is mutable or wrong; as a side note, Arminians might not be aware that they make God's knowledge to be "deductive", where God is learning who will become elect by examination of results, which means at one point He was not omniscient.) Arminians might argue, "evangelism cannot increase the elect, and failure of evangelism cannot decrease the elect;" Such observations are skewed, for it could be equally stated to Arminians "in your system evangelism cannot increase the elect, and failure of evangelism cannot decrease the elect.", otherwise God's knowledge is wrong and mutable. (Hence the pathway to Open Theism, which one writer aptly called atheism in disguise) ------ Obedience to God is never a fool's errand. Obedience through the grace and glory of Christ is pleasing to God. God's pleasure is not based on human results. When God calls you to love your enemy, you obey, God does not determine your success based on the reaction of your enemy. God calls us to proclaim Christ, success is obedience to proclaim Christ; God does not determine your success on the basis of-- if men decide to meet the conditions of God for regeneration while you proclaim Him. (btw, Did you meet the conditions of God for regeneration, were you able to do that?)

outline list

IT IS GOD WHO: - draws people to Himself (John 6:44,65). - creates a clean heart (Psalm 51:10). - appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48). - works faith in the believer (John 6:28-29). - chooses who is to be holy and blameless (Eph. 1:4). - chooses us for salvation (2 Thess. 2:13-14). - grants the act of believing (Phil. 1:29). - grants repentance (2 Tim. 2:24-26). - calls according to His purpose (2 Tim. 1:9). - causes us to be born again (1 Pet. 1:3). - predestines us to salvation (Rom. 8:29-30). - predestines us to adoption (Eph. 1:5). - predestines us according to His purpose (Eph. 1:11). - makes us born again not by our will but by His will (John 1:12-13). IT IS MAN WHO: - is deceitful and desperately sick (Jer. 17:9). - is full of evil (Mark 7:21-23). - loves darkness rather than light (John 3:19). - is unrighteous, does not understand, does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12). - is helpless and ungodly (Rom. 5:6). - is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). - is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). - cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). - is a slave of sin (Rom. 6:16-20).

I am His

I am His by purchase and I am His by conquest; I am His by donation and I am His by election; I am His by covenant and I am His by marriage; I am wholly His; I am peculiarly His; I am universally His; I am eternally His. Once I was a slave but now I am a son; once I was dead but now I am alive; once I was darkness but now I am light in the Lord; once I was a child of wrath, an heir of hell, but now I am an heir of heaven; once I was Satan's bond-servant but now I am God's freeman; once I was under the spirit of bondage but now I am under the Spirit of adoption that seals up to me the remission of my sins, the justification of my person, and the salvation of my soul. ~ Thomas Brooks

Why Evangelize

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0tAfrPlNq8&feature=player_embedded

Atonement Questions for the Arminian

#1.  Jesus' death on the cross, was His best divine attempt to save the world?   #2.  The Father sending His perfect Son to die on the cross, was His best divine attempt to save the world?  #3.  Did the Father and Son attempt to save the world at the cross?  #4.  Did Jesus atone for all the sins of every sinner and the Father send that sinner to Hell with all his sin's atoned for?  #5.  What sin of the reprobate did the death of Jesus not atone?;

First Cause

Question for churchmen: Are you the first cause of your faith, or is God the first cause of your faith? If you answer I am the first cause, then you deny Scripture. The faith described in the Old and New Testaments are GIFTS, and fruit of the Spirit, IMPUTED by God, Himself. If you answer that God is the first cause, but that He only DRAWS men, and then will leave them to their own free choice, or free will, to choose salvation, you, again deny Scripture. What does the Word say? "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I WILL raise him up at the last day." God does not ABORT what He begins. He is the AUTHOR and COMPLETER of our faith. ~ MarkMarissa Namirr

One Group

A covenant promise, a Deliverer of the enslaved, a Deliverance of the enslaved, a passover Lamb, a High Priest, a tabernacle for God to dwell among them, a Land to possess....all given to one set of infants, those of Abraham's seed; which was not given or "offered" to any other people. Are you of Abraham's seed: Christ, the true Isaac, born of God by the Holy Spirit and His Word endowed with living faith which too is a gift of God, and that not of yourself?  (thus evidence of election and limited atonement).

Fail: Jesus intended to raise Lazarus, thankfully for Him, Lazarus was willing to be raised; I guess Jesus intentionally avoided calling men from the dead whom He knew would say no to His offer, otherwise Jesus would have been embarrassed that His divine intention failed.

I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes—that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit as well as the sun in the heavens—that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses. The creeping of an aphis over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence—the fall of sere leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche. He that believes in a God must believe this truth. There is no standing-point between this and atheism. There is no half way between a mighty God that worketh all things by the sovereign counsel of his will and no God at all. A God that cannot do as he pleases—a God whose will is frustrated, is not a God, and cannot be a God. I could not believe in such a God as that. ~ C. H. Spurgeon

Efficacious

IF limited atonement is NOT true then those in hell will have a good argument before God in saying, "but Christ died for ME!" (True or False?) via.Brian K.  ;;

In such a hypothetical, yes the damned would have a powerful argument; and what would the Father say in order to reject the efficacy of His Son's Divine Sacrifice. 

Two Prisoners

‎"Paul was Nero's prisoner, but Nero was much more God's." ~ WILLIAM GURNALL

OVERTHROWS EMPIRES

'While I drink my little glass of Wittenberg beer the gospel runs its course and overthrows empires.' -Martin Luther

LEARN THIS

"Learn then this basic truth, that the Creator is absolute Sovereign, executing His own will, performing His own pleasure, and considering nought but His own glory. "The Lord hath made all things for Himself" (Prov. 16:4). And had He not a perfect right to? Since God is God, who dare challenge His prerogative?" (The Pinkster)

THE MARKET IS SACRED

Holiness consisteth not in a cowl or in a garment of gray. When God purifies the heart by faith, the market is sacred as well as the sanctuary; neither remaineth there any work or place which is profane - Martin Luther

Crown of Thorns

“They gave our Master a crown of thorns. Why do we hope for a
crown of roses?” -Martin Luther

THESE TWO ARE ONE

"God’s purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God’s glory and that I have a passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion." -Jonathan Edwards;

NO POWER IN FAITH

‎"Never make a Christ out of your faith, nor think of as if it were the independent source of your salvation. Our life is found in 'looking unto Jesus,' not in looking to our own faith. By faith all things become possible to us; yet the power is not in the faith, but in the God upon whom faith relies."-Charles Spurgeon

Dying to Self

When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, that is dying to self-

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient loving silence,- That is dying to self.-

When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, and interruption by the will of God, that is dying to self;

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown,- That is dying to self-

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, whild your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances, that is dying to self-

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, that is dying to self-

someone on FB named Kristen.

ALL IN ASIA

2 Tim 1:15  You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me,

SHARE

2 Tim 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,

2 Tim 2:3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2 Tim 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

2 Tim 4:5  ...endure suffering

2 Tim 1:15  You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me,

VERY HINGE

“[It is] essentially wholesome and necessary, for a Christian to know, whether or not the will does any thing in those things which pertain unto Salvation. Nay, let me tell you, this is the very hinge upon which our discussion turns. It is the very heart of the subject” - Martin Luther

YOU CAN'T

I can't open your heart, but you can't shut my mouth. Jesus is King, Praise Him.

DESPISE THE BODY

Reading a powerful sermon, here is good excerpt: That is why Paul says, “...that their bodies might be dishonored among them.” You see, people that indulge in these types of activities dishonor their body. It literally means to treat the body with contempt, to despise it. (!!!) I never caught this implication before, insightful.

The lie is, people think, "oh but we love pleasing the body", well that is a lie, in reality your actions show that you love despising the body.

WHO IS ARBITRARY NOW

Is Almighty God bound to the arbitrary human standard of fairness or does God have the right to issue Mercy as He deems appropriate?--B. Bradley

DRAW NEAR TO GOD

The other day I was thinking about Hebrews 4:16 by vague recollection not by direct reading of it or study.  I knew what it said roughly, and here is what it says exactly...."Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

I was thinking with sorrow, "Yea, but my old nature is so vile, corrupt, and unclean, it seems extremely audacious for me to approach the throne in prayer, knowing how miserable my mind, heart, and actions are each day; and though I am a new creation, how even more appauling that I nonetheless fall so short of maturity in Christ...." and so I continued to mope.

Tonight, a thought hit me, and it was this, "Ok, yea, but which is more audacious to approach the throne of grace knowing your spiritual poverty...OR...viewing the life, work, perfection, purity, obedience, death, blood, resurrection of Jesus as unsufficient to bring you to the throne of grace?"  I then realized that my thoughts the first night were more foolish in overlooking the accomplishment of Jesus as the grounds for my access to the throne.  I could not think of the exact verse, but I was thinking about something in Romans 3, and now I know it was this:  Romans 3:26   It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

God is JUST towards Jesus, that it is proper and right to accept and honor His blood redemption of sinners.  Hence, it is also JUST for me to approach the throne on the basis of Jesus' work.  Not that I am in a position to judge Jesus, but that I surely must not....."trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing," 

Then as these thoughts blessed me, I decided to look at the original context of Hebrews 4, and this great introduction was made by the writer...the same point I needed to know concerning approaching the throne of grace.

Hebrews 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. [15] For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

1.  We have a high priest.
2.  We have a great high priest.
3.  The writer goes at length in this letter to explain the superiority of Jesus as our High Priest.
4.  This short kernel sums it up:  He was in all points tempted like as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN.

And this introduces verse 16, which I was rembering out of context.

Hebrews 4:16   Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We come boldly, but NEVER on the basis of our past, present, future--- performance, purity, ability.  The word "therefore" points us back to the Great High Priest who is WITHOUT SIN, and that is the basis for us approaching the throne.  We come boldy, and ALWAYS on the basis of our High Priest who is without sin.  He is the Priest, He is the Lamb, He is the Door, He is the Mediator of a Better Covenant.established on Better Promises;

Hebrews 7:19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

Did I catch that?-- a better hope is introduced, THROUGH WHICH we draw near to God.
Praise God for Grace,  Jesus is Grace.

EAGER PRAYER

How do we view prayer/praying?  How eager are we to pray?    Do we view it as:

-something we "have to do", just like paying taxes?  But we murmur that we hope we "grace" will lower the tax, and increase our "free time" for ourself.

-something we need to do, like changing the car's oil every 4 months?  That we want it done and over with on one day, knowing it disrupts our normal day and week? 

-something we need to do, like a house chore?  Let's get the laundry done, vacuum, and pray, and quicker we get it done, the shorter our murmuring will be.

-something we "ought" to do, but begrudgingly like spending a day with in-laws? But you give a plastic smile, and a cheerful remark, still wondering when you can leave this irksome obligation.

-something that is just unavoidable, like seeing commericals interrupt our TV show, or sports show, or movie?  But hopefully we can move on back to our normal programming of earthly attention.

-something that God requires, so we better do it?  But in the deepest level of our veiled conscience we are thinking....'It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts?:  (Malachi 3:14)

-something that we will do if it has a drive through window?  There are days I am hungry but due to driving a long distance will not go sit for a steak, and since they do not have a drive through window, I'll go find a place which can get me a meal and get me moving on to my personal destination.
Is prayer, praying, prayer time....seen, pursued, with a sincere joyful eagerness as one who loves God? 

If Jesus rang your doorbell, would you talk to him for 5 minutes like he was proslyetizing with the local cult, but then be glad to shut the conversation down and send him on His way?

I've conciously turned my phone ringer off to ensure that I get a good nap with no interruptions, do I think about making preparations for a good prayer time?

May God grant us a new heart to have a eager desire to pray and fellowship with Him.  As Peter jumped from the boat and swam with joy to see the resurrected Christ, may we jump away from our temporal mindedness and pray with joy to rejoice in the greatness and goodness of God.

FAMILY WORSHIP

The commander of Columbia shuttle that disintegrated in mid-air was so devoted to family worship that he recorded eighteen videos for his family, one for each day that he was supposed to be gone. How valuable do you think those videos are to his family now? What a legacy he has left. - Joel Beeke

Richard and Subina Wurmbrand

FOCUS ON GOD

Focus on the God of the labor, not the fruit of the labor.

The Issue is not where we meet at, but Whom we meet with;  Focus on the glory of God, not the glory of the facilities.


When we say narrow is the way, our conception is still too broad of away; the way is narrow, even narrower than we presume.

TO KNOW GOD

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 pray to God..

To know God is to sing to God.

To know God is to rejoice.

To know God is to hope.

To know God is to persevere.

To know God is to endure.

To know God is to proclaim God

15 Minute Devotional on these phrases via Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/user/118min?feature=mhum#p/u/6/MiVUPf8ZSvY

CHRIST EVIDENT

Boast not of Christ's work "for you", unless you can show the Spirit's work "in you." Think not that Christ and the Spirit can ever be divided. I doubt not that many believers know these things, but I think it good for us to be put in remembrance of them. Let us prove that we know them by our lives. ~Ryle

CANNOT FAIL

What is God's remedy for dejection at apparent failure in our labours? This—the assurance that God's purpose cannot fail, that God's plans cannot miscarry, that God's will must be done. Our labours are not intended to bring about that which God has not decreed.  —Arthur W. Pink

WHATEVER GOD ORDAINS IS RIGHT

Nice Song, Nice Video.  Great Lyrics, Great Raw Guitar..

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1745360386611#!/video/video.php?v=1676219978144..

INWARD CONFLICT

This inward conflict


(Philpot, "The Knowledge of Good and Evil" 1845)

"I know that nothing good lives in me—that is, in

my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what

is good—but I cannot carry it out." Romans 7:18

Now it is this which makes the Lord's people such a

burdened people—that makes them so oppressed in

their souls as to cry out against themselves daily,

and sometimes hourly—that they are what they are

—that they would be spiritual, yet are carnal—that

they would be holy, yet are unholy—that they would

have sweet communion with Jesus, yet have such

sensual alliance with the things of time and sense—

that they would be Christians in word, thought, and

deed; yet, in spite of all, they feel their carnal mind,

their wretched depravity intertwining, interlacing,

gushing forth—contaminating with its polluted stream

everything without and within—so as to make them

sigh, groan, and cry being burdened, "What a wretched

man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"

Romans 7:24

He would not be entangled in these snares for ten thousand

worlds—he hates the evils of his heart, and mourns over the

corruptions of his nature. They make the tear fall from his

eye, and the sob to heave from his bosom—they make him

a wretched man—and fill him day after day with sorrow,

bitterness, and anguish.

None but a saved soul, under divine teaching, can see

this evil—and mourn and sigh under the depravity, the

corruption, the unbelief, the carnality, the wickedness,

and the deceitfulness of his evil heart.

This inward conflict, this sore grief, this internal burden,

that all the family of God are afflicted with—is an evidence

that the life and grace of God are in their bosoms.

"Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord!

So you see how it is—in my mind I really want to obey

God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a

slave to sin." Rom. 7:25

A KING REJECTED

A KING REJECTED, FORESHADOWING A KING REJECTED.

‎2 Samuel 2:11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.


Matthew Henry:

Here is, I. A rivalship between two kings - David, whom God made king, and Ishbosheth, whom Abner made king. One would have thought, when Saul was slain, and all his sons that had sense and spirit enough to take the field with him, David would come to the throne without any opposition, since all Israel knew, not only how he had signalized himself, but how manifestly God had designated him to it; but such a spirit of contradiction is there, in the devices of men, to the counsels of God, that such a weak and silly thing as Ishbosheth, who was not thought fit to go with his father to the battle, shall yet be thought fit to succeed him in the government, rather than David shall come peaceably to it. Herein David's kingdom was typical of the Messiah's, against which the heathens rage and the rulers take counsel, Psa_2:1, Psa_2:2.

AND his concise commentary:

The nation in general refused David. By this the Lord trained up his servant for future honour and usefulness; and the tendency of true godliness was shown in his behaviour while passing through various difficulties. David was herein a type of Christ, whom Israel would not submit to, though anointed of the Father to be a Prince and a Saviour to them

HOW MANY WAYS CAN I SAY THIS

I've read both passages before, but this is the first time I've seem them as two bookends. It is like Paul is stuttering, and repeating himself as many as he can to help us snap out of it and wake up.

AS IF...."HOW MANY WAYS CAN I SAY THIS GUYS???"

‎1 Cor. 1:17-18 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. [18] For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.


1 Cor. 2:1-5 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. [2] For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, [4] and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.


Despite 1:18 being True, and in fact PRECISELY because it is true, does Paul insist on 1:17...which is repeated in chapter 2.

ARE YOU BUILDING SOMETHING

Are you building something that will condemn the world?


Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righ teousness that comes by faith.

Is your life building something that will condemn the world, who is condemned already. John 3. If Noah built something that condemned the world, which was already condemned being a son of Adam, how much more did the works and work of Jesus build something that will condemn the world.

Matthew 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Matthew 11:22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. Matthew 11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Luke 10:12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Luke 10:14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

Are you building something that will condemn the world, which is condemned already? The message and life of the disciples did. Are you His disciple too?

Mark 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

I have a lot to learn from Hebrews 11 that Jesus might ask of me..... Mark 8:21, How is it that ye do not understand?

OBJECTIVE IN LEARNING

The objective in all learning, even to learn the alphabet as a 2 year old...is to aid in knowing Jesus, loving Jesus, trusting Jesus, serving Jesus, obeying Jesus, resting in Jesus, valuing Jesus, honoring Jesus, proclaiming Jesus, exalting Jesus, glorifying Jesus. If this is not the objective in your learning, then you have learned all, even your alphabet, in vain; and therefore, in the final analysis have learned nothing at all.

EFFECTS OF HIS GRACE

God ... as he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, actually worketh faith and repentance to us, gives them unto us, bestows them on us; so that they are mere effects of his grace in us. And his working in us infallibly produceth the effect intended, because it is actual faith that he works, and not only a power to believe."

- John Owen

THE MATERIAL CAUSE

The efficient cause of our eternal salvation the Scripture uniformly proclaims to be the mercy and free love of the Heavenly Father toward us; the material cause to be Christ...and what can be the formal or instrumental cause but faith?
 
(John Calvin:  Inst. 3.14.17)

REST FOR THE WEARY

Rest in Prospect:  by James Smith, 1861

Time is thickly sown with the seeds of trouble, and the soil appears most prolific. Every day, almost, brings something new to try us, and our trials are not often single, they come in troops. When we are most prosperous — we are often nearest some great trial.

Poor Job found it so. His troubles came unexpectedly, nevertheless he received them as from God, and blessed the Lord's name. But he was flesh as well as spirit, and when in addition to poverty and reproach, he was filled with pain — his heart failed him, and he cursed his day of his birth. He gave up all hope of comfort in this life, and looked forward to the grave, not only with hope — but with a longing desire. How pathetic, how touching are his words, as he looked to the tomb, or the place of graves. "There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary are at rest." Job 3:17.

The Lord's People Are Often a Weary People. They weary — for they have but little strength, either physical, mental, or spiritual — they have a rough up-hill road to travel — and they have a heavy burden to carry.

They are weary of SIN, which is a constant plague and cause of discomfort.

They are weary of SELF, from which they cannot by any means be freed in the present world.

They are weary of the WORLD, to which they are crucified.

They are weary of SATAN, who is incessantly trying to disgrace, distress, and perplex them.

They are weary of the vain PROFESSORS of religion; whose inconsistencies grieve and wound them.

They are weary of OLD MAN, the body of death, the law in the members, which they have constantly to carry about with them, and which often presses them down to the earth.

Weary! O how weary is the believer often — in body and in mind — of almost everything within, and everything without! How is he ready to wish for the wings of a dove, that he may flee away and be at rest; or for his Lord's messenger of death to come, and set him eternally free. Weary one, look up — there is a hope laid up for you in Heaven; and look forward — there is a good, a glorious time coming!

There is a place and time — when the Lord's wearied ones will be at rest. The poor body — wearied and worn out with pain and labor, will find rest in the silent tomb. The soul — wearied with conflicts and disappointments, will find rest in the presence of Christ, with the spirits of God's elect. The body and soul at the resurrection, will find rest in eternal blessedness. The whole church, comprising all God's wearied ones, will find perfect rest in ultimate glory, when the Son shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father, and God shall be all in all.

Rest! Sweet word. Rest! Delightful prospect!

We shall rest from the voice of an accusing conscience, which often causes pain.

We shall rest from all our doubts and fears, which often becloud the mind.

We shall rest from all the temptations, used by Satan to lead us astray — or arising from our inbred lusts, turning us aside from the right way — or employed by the world to allure or alarm, in order to divert us from the right path.

We shall rest from persecution, arising from the malice and hatred of men.

We shall rest from all our toils and labors.

We shall rest from the evil designs of professors of religion.

We shall rest from all our pains and sufferings.

We shall rest in full and holy satisfaction, possessing all we can wish for in the presence of Jesus, the highest object of our desire.

We shall rest in the most delightful employment, for the honor and glory of God.

We shall rest in the sweetest composure of spirit, forever freed from all fear of a change.

We shall rest in the full enjoyment of perfect and perpetual fellowship with God.

We shall rest in the most complete state of perfection, to which such beings can be raised.

Reader, are you one of God's weary ones? Are you weary of earth, of yourself, and especially of sin? Are you looking forward to the rest of the grave, for the poor body; and to the rest of Heavenly paradise, for the emancipated soul? Are you in the midst of your exhausting troubles and trials, taking encouragement from the prospect of the rest that remains for the people of God? If so, cheer up, "There is rest, there is rest!" And you will soon reach it, and that rest shall be glorious.

Weary sinner, there is rest for you in Jesus — but no where else. Unless you find rest in Jesus now, you will find no rest at the end of life — but yours will be a restless spirit to all eternity. There is no peace, no rest, says my God, to the wicked!

TO KNOW CHRIST IS TO LOVE CHRIST

Can you hear Christ week after week and day after day and the life that is found in Him from God Almighty set forth, and you're still here and you're utterly unfeeling.  You say "Well...there is life."  You may be a stagnant pool, its not living water,  there's nothing that flows, and every so often from the rotting leaves at the bottom of that pool some bubble of marsh gas comes up and burps on the surface.  That's not life, if you're dead we can only plead with the Spirit of God to open your eyes to give you a desire that God would give you life.  Is there anyone here this evening who has at least begun to consider themselves to be dead, begun to reckon accurately with themselves, to go to the root of the matter and to discern....(your deadness, dullness, emptiness)--Pastor Jeremy Walker, Trinity Baptist Church, Montville, New Jeresy, January 21, 2007. "A Plea for Life.  Psalm 119:25"  at minute 41:20.

TENDATIO

Martin Luther noted 3 primary rules from Psalm 119 for knowing God and understanding his Word:


a) Oratio = prayer
b) Meditatio = meditation
c) Tendatio = trial, affliction, or temptation.

He reasoned that one of the greatest hermeneutical keys in life is pain. See Psalm 119:67 -- “Before I was afflicted, I went astray,” and again from v. 71 -- “It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees.”

Luther concluded: “These afflictions teach you not only to know and understand but to experience how right and how true and how sweet and how lovely are the mighty comforting Words of God. It is wisdom supreme. As soon as God’s Word comes to be known through you, the Devil will afflict you with great affliction and make a doctor out of you! And will teach you by his temptations to seek and to love God’s Word...”

JOHN 17 BY THE SAINTS

Maybe our prayers should resemble John 17, though Jesus has been glorified on the cross, even so.

The prayer of John 17 from the perspective of the saints:
John 17:1

The Saints lift up our eyes to heaven, and pray, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, [2] since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. [3] And this is eternal life, that we know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. [4] He has glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave Him to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify Him in your own presence with the glory that He had with you before the world existed."

[6] "He has manifested your name to the people whom you gave to Christ out of the world. Yours we were, and you gave us to Christ, and we have kept your word. [7] Now we know that everything that you have given Him is from You. [8] For He has given us the words that You gave Him, and we have received them and have come to know in truth that He has came from you; and we have believed that you sent Him.

[9] We are praying for the saints. We are not praying for the world but for those whom you have given Him, for we are yours. [10] All Christ's are Thine, and Thine are Christ's, and Jesus is glorified in us.

[11] And Jesus is no longer in the world, but we are in the world, and He has gone to you. Holy Father, keep us in your name, which you have given to Christ, that we may be one, even as you and the Son are one. [12] While Jesus was with us, He kept us in your name, which you have given Him. He has guarded us, and not one of us have been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

[13] But now Jesus is with you, and these things Jesus spoke in the world, that we may have His joy fulfilled in us. [14] He has given us your word, and the world has hated us because we are not of the world, just as Jesus is not of the world. [15] we do not ask that you take us out of the world, but that you keep us from the evil one. [16] We are not of the world, just as Jesus is not of the world.

[17] Sanctify us in the truth; your word is truth. [18] As you sent Jesus into the world, so has He sent us into the world. [19] And for our sakes He consecrated himself, that we also may be sanctified in truth.

[20] "We do not ask for the saints only, but also for those who will believe in Christ through our word, [21] that we may all be one, just as you, Father, are in Christ, and Christ in you, that we also may be in the Father and the Son, so that the world may believe that you have sent Christ. [22] The glory that you have given Christ, He has given to us, that we may be one even as You and the Son are one,

[23] Christ in us, and You in Christ, that we may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent Jesus and loved us even as you loved Jesus. [24] Father, we desire that we also, whom you have given to Christ, may be with Christ where He is, to see His glory that You have given Him because you loved Him before the foundation of the world. [25] O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, Jesus knows you, and we know that you have sent Him. [26] He has made known to us your name, and He will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved Christ may be in us, and He in us."

The Saints lift up this prayer for the glory of the Father and the Son, and for the good of His People.

ONLY COMFORT IN LIFE AND DEATH

Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?


Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, (a) am not my own, (b) but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; (c) who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, (d) and delivered me from all the power of the devil; (e) and so preserves me (f) that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; (g) yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, (h) and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, (i) and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. (j)

THE TREE OF LIFE

The Cross; The Tree of Death for sin...The Tree of Life for sons.

SOBER WORDS

So forever will I tell


In three hours, Christ suffered more than any sinner ever will in hell (4x)

It’s where we see Your holiness- at the cross

We see that You’re controlling this- at the cross

We see how You feel about sin- at the cross

Your unfathomable love for men- at the cross

It’s where we see Your sovereignty- at the cross

We see our idolatry- at the cross

We know that there’s a judgment day- from the cross

May we never take our eyes away- from the cross



We’re now in the realm of the sublime and profound
With God at the helm it’s about to go down
The Father’s wrath precise will blast and slice
The priceless Master Christ as a sacrifice
Willingly, He’s under the curse
To be treated as if the Son was the worst scum of the earth
The scene is the craziest
Jesus being treated as if He is the shadiest atheist
How is it the Messiah is in the fiery pit
As if He was a wicked liar with twisted desires?
The One who’s sinless and just
Punished as if He was promiscuous and mischievous with vicious lust
The source of all godly pleasure
Tormented as if He was a foul investor or child molestor
How could He be bruised like He was a goodie two-shoes
who doesn’t think that she needs the good news?
He’s perfect in love and wisdom
But He’s suffering as if He constructed the corrupt justice system
We should mourn at the backdrop
Jesus torn like He’s on the corner with crack rock with porn on His laptop
What is this, kid? His gifts are infinite
But He’s hit with licks for religious hypocrites
He’s the Light, but being treated like
He’s the seedy type who likes to beat His wife
He’s treated like a rapist, treated like a slanderer
Treated like a racist or maybe a philanderer
Jesus being penalized like He had sin inside
Filled with inner pride while committing genocide
I could write for a billion years and still can’t name
All of the sins placed on the Lamb slain

But know this: the main thing the cross demonstrated
The glory and the holiness of God vindicated;


So forever will I tell
In three hours, Christ suffered more than any sinner ever will in hell (4x)
It’s where we see Your holiness- at the cross
We see that You’re controlling this- at the cross
We see how You feel about sin- at the cross
Your unfathomable love for men- at the cross
It’s where we see Your sovereignty- at the cross
We see our idolatry- at the cross
We know that there’s a judgment day- from the cross
May we never take our eyes away- from the cross

SECURING THE ACTUAL SALVATION

"The sin of Adam did not make the condemnation of all men merely possible; it was the ground of their actual condemnation. So the righteousness of Christ did not make the salvation of men merely possible, it secured the actual salvation of thos for whom he wrought."

Charles Hodge

THE WORD WIELDS

I will preach, speak, write, but I will force no one; for faith must be voluntary. Take me as an example. I stood up against the Pope, indulgences, and all papists, but without violence or uproar. I only urged, preached, and declared God's Word, nothing else.

And yet while I was asleep, or drinking Wittenberg beer with my Philip Melanchthon and Amsdorf, the Word inflicted greater injury on popery than prince or emperor ever did. I did nothing, the Word did every thing. Had I appealed to force, all Germany might have been deluged with blood; yea, I might have kindled a conflict at Worms, so that the Emperor would not have been safe.

But what would have been the result? Ruin and desolation of body and soul. I therefore kept quiet, and gave the Word free course through the world. Do you know what the Devil thinks when he sees men use violence to propagate the gospel? He sits with folded arms behind the fire of hell, and says with malignant looks and frightful grin: 'Ah, how wise these madmen are to play my game!

Let them go on; I shall reap the benefit. I delight in it.' But when he sees the Word running and contending alone on the battle-field, then he shudders and shakes for fear. The Word is almighty, and takes captive the hearts."

- Martin Luther

BURN OUR HOUSES

JOHN ROGERS PREACHING:

he personates God to the people, telling them, 'Well, I have trusted you so long with my Bible; you have slighted it; it lies in such and such houses all covered with dust and cobwebs. You care not to look into it. Do you use my Bible so? W...ell, you shall have my Bible no longer'.


And he takes up the Bible from his cushion, and seemed as if he were going away with it, and carrying it from them;

but immediately turns again and personates the people to God, falls down on his knees, cries and pleads most earnestly,

'Lord, whatsoever thou cost to us, take not thy Bible from us; kill our children, burn our houses, destroy our goods; only spare us thy Bible, only take not away thy Bible'.

(Context: It is plain that scenes like this were far from rare in East Anglia in the first half of the seventeenth century. Samuel Fairclough's own father, Lawrence Fairclough, had seen spiritual prosperity in his ministry at Haverhill, Suffolk, before his death in 1603. The successor to his work in Haverhill was one of the most 'awakening' of all Puritan preachers and one whose ministry was attended with a power which was still being spoken of in the mid-eighteenth century. This was John Rogers, nephew of Richard Rogers of Wethersfield, by whose financial support he studied at Emmanuel from 1588 until 1592. In 1605 he was called from Haverhill to be 'lecturer' in the beautiful vale of Dedham, later to be known throughout the world by the paintings of John Constable but famous in the seventeenth century for the great spiritual harvest which took place under Rogers' ministry. 'Let us go to Dedham to get a little fire' became a common saying among his contemporaries. One who went was Thomas Goodwin, while a student at Cambridge, and many years later when he was Dr. Goodwin and President of Magdalen College, Oxford, he reported his memory of it to John Howe. Howe recorded it as follows: 'He told me that being himself, in the time of his youth, a student at Cambridge, and having heard much of Mr. Rogers of Dedham, in Essex, purposely he took a journey from Cambridge to Dedham to hear him preach on his lecture day. And in that sermon he falls into an expostulation with the people about their neglect of the Bible [I am afraid it is more neglected in our days]; )

The Puritans and Revival Christianity by Iain Murray

REAL DAMAGE

What type of ruckus would be raised if you politely asked a local congregation to explain their stance on Conditional Election or Non-applied Atonement?  How can such serious topics be brushed aside as harmful discussions, when in fact their use as assumed doctrine is the real damage being inflicted each week.

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES

An American citizen at the age of 35 has the chance of becoming President of the USA; On some level it is 50-50, either you will or you won't; but the odds are much less considering all alternatives.


Did Jesus die merely to have the "chance" of saving sinners? Is it 50-50? or much lower odds knowing how many false gods are out there? Did Jesus even campaign in 1010 in North-South America?

In that Arminian view, He is hardly any different than me running for president of the USA, we both have chances (to lead/save) but neither of us are ensuring our office (as leader/Savior).

THE DENIAL OF GOD'S BEING

"There is absolutely no difference between the denial of God's sovereignty and the denial of God's being. Arminianism is neither more nor less than religious atheism."


-Don Fortner

Without a Bible

2010 Statistics:

Almost 2,100 ...the number of languages without any of the Bible, but with a possible need of a Bible translation to begin.  340,000,000+ ...the number of people who speak the 2,100 languages where translation projects have not yet begun

Consider what the Statistics were in 1517 across the globe, or in 1010, in Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Asia.

IT IS A LOSS

The only multiplication of the Church of God that is to be desired is that which God sends…If we add to our churches by becoming worldly…if we add to our churches by accommodating the life of the Christian to the life of the worldling, our increase is worth nothing at all; it is a loss rather than a gain.

If we add to our churches by excitement, by making appeals to the passions, rather than by explaining truth to the understanding; if we add to our churches otherwise than by the power of the Spirit of God making men new creatures in Christ Jesus, the increase is of no worth whatever. (from: Harvest Joy, Sermon No. 2265) (RT: Spurgeon.US)

MERE EMPTINESS

"All our libraries and studies are mere emptiness compared with our closets."

 C.H. Spurgeon

A THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS. INTRO

2 Corinthians. 4:7-18    But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. [8] We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. [11] For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. [12] So death is at work in us, but life in you.

[13] Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, [14] knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. [15] For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

[16] So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. [17] For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, [18] as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Corinthiains. 6:3-10   We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, [4] but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, [5] beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; [6] by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, [7] by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; [8] through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; [9] as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; [10] as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

2 Corinthians. 11:23-33   Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. [24] Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. [25] Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; [26] on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; [27] in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. [28] And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. [29] Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

[30] If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. [31] The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. [32] At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, [33] but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

BLINDESS NOW AND THEN

I thought about this last night, in November of 1517 what was happening in Germany? But what was happening in North America, South America, India, Australia, South Africa....countless millions without a Bible or Gospel Witness...no mediums of tv, radio, internet, BarnesnNobles, just people live and dying clueless of who both Jesus Christ is and current American idols like Oprah or Donald Trump or Bill Gates.