“The heir of a great estate, while a child, thinks more of a few shillings in his pocket than of his inheritance. So a Christian is often more elated by some frame of heart than by his title to glory.”
JOHN NEWTON
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
HIS DEAR REST
Throw yourself upon God's faithfulness as you do upon your bed, bringing all your weariness to His dear rest. -C.H. Spurgeon-
Thursday, November 12, 2015
LOOK TO CHRIST
(George Everard, "Christian Living!" 1881)
I well remember the tenants of a humble cottage in a village in one of the eastern counties. The old couple who dwelt there had once known better days. But they were not left altogether without provision. They had an only son, who had risen to a position of competency, and he never neglected his aged parents. Very liberally did he contribute to their support, and spared nothing that would add to their comfort.
By-and-by the old man died, and the widow was left alone. She had one earthly comfort: she was able to rely with confidence on the kindness and affection of her son. Though she had little means of her own, she never feared that she should lack anything so long as he lived. Shortly after her husband's death, her son wrote her a letter full of filial affection. He told her how deeply he felt for her, and then he promised that he would pay the rent of her cottage, and send her amply enough for the supply of all her needs. If ever she had any special need or difficulty, he assured her that if she would only write and tell him, he would do all in his power to assist her.
So the old lady lived upon her son, and was without anxiety. She had no care about the future. She had received many tokens of her son's affection, and knew that he loved her. She knew also that his means were sufficient, and that she could trust his promise. So she lived happily and peacefully, relying entirely upon the care which her son had for her.
The life of this aged woman seemed to me a sort of parable of the life which a Christian should lead. It seemed to me very clearly to illustrate the words of Paul: "The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."
The Christian, like this woman, has no resources in himself.
He has no stock of grace.
He has no strength to meet temptation.
He has no means of providing the supplies needful for the journey of life.
He is poor and needy, frail, weak, and helpless.
He has nothing to call his own, but sin and misery.
But the Christian has One upon whose faithful love he can ever depend. He can say in his heart, "Christ has given me a sure token of His love. He laid down His life for my sake, He gave Himself for me, and shed His precious blood to cleanse me from my guilt. He has brought me back after all my wanderings. He has taught me to love and serve Him. He has heard my prayers and helped me hitherto--and can I doubt that He will help me even to the end?"
The Christian knows that in Christ, there is abundance of all that he needs. This woman could rely upon her son's affection, and she knew also that he had the ability as well as the will to assist her. The Christian also is persuaded that in Christ are to be found inexhaustible supplies. He has unsearchable riches of mercy, grace, and consolation!
Reader, look unto Christ--and expect from Him all you need.
Look unto Him for wisdom, to guide and direct you in the difficulties that beset your path.
Look unto Him for righteousness, that, in spite of all your unworthiness and many sins, you may ever have boldness and confidence before God.
Look unto Him for the continual power and grace of His blessed Spirit, the Comforter. You need to mortify sin, and grow in holiness--and this you can only do as the Spirit empowers in you. You need to have a clearer view of Jesus' love, and an increase of faith day by day--and this, too, is given to you by His Spirit. It is the Spirit who testifies of Him, and who can perfect you in His likeness. And He has promised that the Spirit shall dwell with you and lead you into all truth.
Look unto Christ, to assist you and stand by you in the smallest and in the greatest matters. Everything in earth and in Heaven is in the hand of Christ. He can help us in matters that affect our present comfort. He can help us in the hour of death, when friends and kindred must bid us farewell.
The One in whom we trust, can never die. It is quite possible that the son might have died before the widow of whom I have been speaking--and then her prop and her stay would have been gone. But "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever." He was dead--yet He is alive for evermore.
Though all earthly friends depart, though we are left alone without a human comforter near--yet Christ abides for evermore. If we trust in Him, we can never be left desolate.
Strive thus to live by faith on Christ continually.
I well remember the tenants of a humble cottage in a village in one of the eastern counties. The old couple who dwelt there had once known better days. But they were not left altogether without provision. They had an only son, who had risen to a position of competency, and he never neglected his aged parents. Very liberally did he contribute to their support, and spared nothing that would add to their comfort.
By-and-by the old man died, and the widow was left alone. She had one earthly comfort: she was able to rely with confidence on the kindness and affection of her son. Though she had little means of her own, she never feared that she should lack anything so long as he lived. Shortly after her husband's death, her son wrote her a letter full of filial affection. He told her how deeply he felt for her, and then he promised that he would pay the rent of her cottage, and send her amply enough for the supply of all her needs. If ever she had any special need or difficulty, he assured her that if she would only write and tell him, he would do all in his power to assist her.
So the old lady lived upon her son, and was without anxiety. She had no care about the future. She had received many tokens of her son's affection, and knew that he loved her. She knew also that his means were sufficient, and that she could trust his promise. So she lived happily and peacefully, relying entirely upon the care which her son had for her.
The life of this aged woman seemed to me a sort of parable of the life which a Christian should lead. It seemed to me very clearly to illustrate the words of Paul: "The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."
The Christian, like this woman, has no resources in himself.
He has no stock of grace.
He has no strength to meet temptation.
He has no means of providing the supplies needful for the journey of life.
He is poor and needy, frail, weak, and helpless.
He has nothing to call his own, but sin and misery.
But the Christian has One upon whose faithful love he can ever depend. He can say in his heart, "Christ has given me a sure token of His love. He laid down His life for my sake, He gave Himself for me, and shed His precious blood to cleanse me from my guilt. He has brought me back after all my wanderings. He has taught me to love and serve Him. He has heard my prayers and helped me hitherto--and can I doubt that He will help me even to the end?"
The Christian knows that in Christ, there is abundance of all that he needs. This woman could rely upon her son's affection, and she knew also that he had the ability as well as the will to assist her. The Christian also is persuaded that in Christ are to be found inexhaustible supplies. He has unsearchable riches of mercy, grace, and consolation!
Reader, look unto Christ--and expect from Him all you need.
Look unto Him for wisdom, to guide and direct you in the difficulties that beset your path.
Look unto Him for righteousness, that, in spite of all your unworthiness and many sins, you may ever have boldness and confidence before God.
Look unto Him for the continual power and grace of His blessed Spirit, the Comforter. You need to mortify sin, and grow in holiness--and this you can only do as the Spirit empowers in you. You need to have a clearer view of Jesus' love, and an increase of faith day by day--and this, too, is given to you by His Spirit. It is the Spirit who testifies of Him, and who can perfect you in His likeness. And He has promised that the Spirit shall dwell with you and lead you into all truth.
Look unto Christ, to assist you and stand by you in the smallest and in the greatest matters. Everything in earth and in Heaven is in the hand of Christ. He can help us in matters that affect our present comfort. He can help us in the hour of death, when friends and kindred must bid us farewell.
The One in whom we trust, can never die. It is quite possible that the son might have died before the widow of whom I have been speaking--and then her prop and her stay would have been gone. But "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever." He was dead--yet He is alive for evermore.
Though all earthly friends depart, though we are left alone without a human comforter near--yet Christ abides for evermore. If we trust in Him, we can never be left desolate.
Strive thus to live by faith on Christ continually.
Friday, October 23, 2015
HERE IS THE SACRIFICE
All
other sacrifices were consumed by the fire of God’s altar.
Here
is the Sacrifice that consumed the fire of God’s wrath.
-- Don Fortner. FROM HEBREWS 1 SERMON.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
CHRIST SHALL BE SATISFIED
"It is not possible that He should be robbed of the purchase of His blood. I tremble when I hear some people talk about the disappointed Christ—or about His having died at a chance to accomplish He knew not what—dying for something which the will of man might give Him if it would, but it might possibly be denied Him! I buy nothing on such terms as that! I expect to have what I purchase and Christ will have what He bought with His own blood—especially as He lives again to claim His purchase! He shall never be a defeated and disappointed Savior! “He loved the Church and gave Himself for it.” He has redeemed His loved ones from among men and He shall have all those whom He has purchased. “He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.”
CH Spurgeon.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
IF GOD LEFT US
If God left us!
(Thomas Watson, "Four Sad Evils" 1663)
The sins of the ungodly are looking-glasses in which we
may see our own hearts. Do we see a heinous, impious
wretch? Behold a picture of our own hearts! Such would
we be--if God left us! What is in wicked men's practice
--is in our nature. Sin in the wicked--is like fire which
flames and blazes forth. Sin in the godly--is like fire hid
in the embers. Christian, though you do not break forth
into a flame of scandalous sin--yet you have no cause
to boast, for there is as much sin in the embers of your
nature! You have the root of all sin in you, and would
bear as hellish fruit as any ungodly wretch--if God did
not either curb you by His power, or change you by
His grace!
may see our own hearts. Do we see a heinous, impious
wretch? Behold a picture of our own hearts! Such would
we be--if God left us! What is in wicked men's practice
--is in our nature. Sin in the wicked--is like fire which
flames and blazes forth. Sin in the godly--is like fire hid
in the embers. Christian, though you do not break forth
into a flame of scandalous sin--yet you have no cause
to boast, for there is as much sin in the embers of your
nature! You have the root of all sin in you, and would
bear as hellish fruit as any ungodly wretch--if God did
not either curb you by His power, or change you by
His grace!
Why might not God have left you--to the same excess
of wickedness? Think with yourself, O Christian--why
should God be more merciful to you, than to another?
Why should He snatch you, as brand plucked out of
the fire--and not him? How should this make you to
adore free grace! What the Pharisee said boastingly,
we may say thankfully--"God, I thank you that I am
not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers, etc."
of wickedness? Think with yourself, O Christian--why
should God be more merciful to you, than to another?
Why should He snatch you, as brand plucked out of
the fire--and not him? How should this make you to
adore free grace! What the Pharisee said boastingly,
we may say thankfully--"God, I thank you that I am
not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers, etc."
If we are not as wicked as others--we should adore the
riches of free-grace! Every time we see men hastening
on in sin--we are to thank God that we are not such!
If we see a crazy person--we thank God that it is not
so with us. When we see another infected with the
plague--how thankful are we, that God has preserved
us from it! Much more when we see others under the
power of Satan--how thankful we should be, that this
is no longer our condition!
riches of free-grace! Every time we see men hastening
on in sin--we are to thank God that we are not such!
If we see a crazy person--we thank God that it is not
so with us. When we see another infected with the
plague--how thankful are we, that God has preserved
us from it! Much more when we see others under the
power of Satan--how thankful we should be, that this
is no longer our condition!
"For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived,
captives of various passions and pleasures, living in
malice and envy, hateful . . . ." Titus 3:3
captives of various passions and pleasures, living in
malice and envy, hateful . . . ." Titus 3:3
Monday, September 21, 2015
COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF CHRIST
This a close quote and paraphrase of wise words from a distant friend,
=================
"THE GRAVE ERROR AND TRAGEDY IS THAT:
1. PEOPLE WANT COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF CHRIST
2. PEOPLE COME FOR COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF CHRIST
3. CHURCHES SERVE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF CHRIST
4. CHURCHES PROVIDE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF CHRIST" =======================
=================
"THE GRAVE ERROR AND TRAGEDY IS THAT:
1. PEOPLE WANT COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF CHRIST
2. PEOPLE COME FOR COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF CHRIST
3. CHURCHES SERVE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF CHRIST
4. CHURCHES PROVIDE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF CHRIST" =======================
Sunday, September 20, 2015
THE BEST OF SAINTS
Even the best of saints, being left to themselves, will quickly appear to be less than men--to be nothing. All our own strength is weakness, and all our wisdom folly. John Owen, Of Temptation, ch. 1.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
DEAR TO US
"I say, who can hear Jesus Christ speaking thus, and his heart not fall in love and league with Christ, and his soul not unite to Christ and resign to Christ, and cleave to Christ, and for ever be one with Christ, except it be such that are for ever left by Christ? Well, remember this, the more vile Christ made himself for us, the more dear he ought to be unto us."
THOMAS BROOKS
ENJOY COMMUNION
"Believer, closet prayer will be found to be but a lifeless, comfortless thing, if you do not enjoy communion with God in it. That should be the very soul of all your closet duties, therefore press after it, as for life; when you go into your closet banish every thing that can hinder your enjoyment of Christ."
THOMAS BROOKS
JAMES WHITE ARTICLE
...and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
(2 Thessalonians 2:10–12)
So another "Planned Parenthood is Run by the Descendants of Himmler, Eicke, Göring, and Goebbels" video came out today. Didn't hear? Yeah, I know. Each one generates less and less interest, less and less outrage. We've all noticed it...well, maybe not. Some have just moved on. I mean, football season is back, school has started...September is a busy time you know! I too had hoped that maybe, just maybe, we could see some progress in light of the outrages these videos document. But it did not take too much reflection to realize that nothing was going to happen. The political parties in the United States represent the utter decay of the governmental system of that nation.
The Socialists (why bother with the term Democrat anymore? Let's just get honest, shall we?) are the party of abortion, the destruction of the family, and utter unfettered erotic license, so the last thing they are going to do is allow even the slightest examination of the abortion industry and its centrality to the culture of death. And the other party---well, the terms "gutless," "sold-out," and "compromised" come to my mind all too easily.
Did you catch the section of The Briefing this week where Albert Mohler discussed George Will's adoption of a position favoring euthanasia? He discussed a "secular conservatism," and how that worldview has no meaningful foundation within it to resist the pull toward the culture of death. The same thing is true here: when you show these videos to a culture that has exchanged the truth of God (life) for the lie (the culture of death, human autonomy, the uncreated nature of man as an accident rather than a responsible creature of God), they may well react negatively (even secularism cannot utterly destroy the imago Dei) in the short term, but the fact is, they do not change the worldview of the viewers. Only the gospel can do that, and even then, only when God blesses that gospel with the Spirit's gracious moving.
If God's wrath has yet to be seen in its full strength upon this nation, you can provide all the evidence you want that our leaders are utterly sold out to corruption, that Planned Parenthood makes Himmler look like a novice, and that it will not be long before our enemies will take from us all of our freedoms and possessions, and it will fall upon judicially closed ears, hardened hearts, and blinded eyes. Yes, yes, I know---how depressing of me. Well, try reading a bit in Jeremiah if you want some kind of precedent. It is not that the prophets of God were not clear enough---it was that God had set the times and seasons for His dealing with Israel, Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, etc., and remember, "Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps" (Psalm 135:6).
No, I am not saying "give up" or "go into hiding." But I am saying that faithfulness in this dark and evil time must be totally, completely focused upon fulfilling one desire: "Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him." (2 Corinthians 5:9). εὐάρεστοι αὐτῷ εἶναι. In all our words and actions and thoughts. In functioning as salt and light. In being abused and decried and detested. One ambition, one goal, one all-ordering principle in our lives. To be pleasing to Him. No pragmatism. No, "Well, that didn't work! Looks, the pagans are still acting like pagans!" Yes, well, while the wrath of God falls, that is the world we will live in. Who will deny themselves and live for Christ? Who will seek to please Him? That's the question.
So another "Planned Parenthood is Run by the Descendants of Himmler, Eicke, Göring, and Goebbels" video came out today. Didn't hear? Yeah, I know. Each one generates less and less interest, less and less outrage. We've all noticed it...well, maybe not. Some have just moved on. I mean, football season is back, school has started...September is a busy time you know! I too had hoped that maybe, just maybe, we could see some progress in light of the outrages these videos document. But it did not take too much reflection to realize that nothing was going to happen. The political parties in the United States represent the utter decay of the governmental system of that nation.
The Socialists (why bother with the term Democrat anymore? Let's just get honest, shall we?) are the party of abortion, the destruction of the family, and utter unfettered erotic license, so the last thing they are going to do is allow even the slightest examination of the abortion industry and its centrality to the culture of death. And the other party---well, the terms "gutless," "sold-out," and "compromised" come to my mind all too easily.
Did you catch the section of The Briefing this week where Albert Mohler discussed George Will's adoption of a position favoring euthanasia? He discussed a "secular conservatism," and how that worldview has no meaningful foundation within it to resist the pull toward the culture of death. The same thing is true here: when you show these videos to a culture that has exchanged the truth of God (life) for the lie (the culture of death, human autonomy, the uncreated nature of man as an accident rather than a responsible creature of God), they may well react negatively (even secularism cannot utterly destroy the imago Dei) in the short term, but the fact is, they do not change the worldview of the viewers. Only the gospel can do that, and even then, only when God blesses that gospel with the Spirit's gracious moving.
If God's wrath has yet to be seen in its full strength upon this nation, you can provide all the evidence you want that our leaders are utterly sold out to corruption, that Planned Parenthood makes Himmler look like a novice, and that it will not be long before our enemies will take from us all of our freedoms and possessions, and it will fall upon judicially closed ears, hardened hearts, and blinded eyes. Yes, yes, I know---how depressing of me. Well, try reading a bit in Jeremiah if you want some kind of precedent. It is not that the prophets of God were not clear enough---it was that God had set the times and seasons for His dealing with Israel, Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, etc., and remember, "Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps" (Psalm 135:6).
No, I am not saying "give up" or "go into hiding." But I am saying that faithfulness in this dark and evil time must be totally, completely focused upon fulfilling one desire: "Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him." (2 Corinthians 5:9). εὐάρεστοι αὐτῷ εἶναι. In all our words and actions and thoughts. In functioning as salt and light. In being abused and decried and detested. One ambition, one goal, one all-ordering principle in our lives. To be pleasing to Him. No pragmatism. No, "Well, that didn't work! Looks, the pagans are still acting like pagans!" Yes, well, while the wrath of God falls, that is the world we will live in. Who will deny themselves and live for Christ? Who will seek to please Him? That's the question.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
GRACE FROM BEGINNING TO END
"The Christian life starts with grace, it must continue with grace, it ends with grace. Grace, wondrous grace." ~ Lloyd-Jones
Friday, August 28, 2015
Two things always go together
(Arthur Pink, "The Doctrine of Sanctification" 1937)
Two things always go together in the experience of a genuine believer:
a growing discovery of the vileness of self, and
a deepening appreciation of the preciousness of Christ.
"Behold, I am vile!" Job 40:4
"O wretched man that I am!" Romans 7:24
"Yes, He is altogether lovely!" Song of Songs 5:16
"To you who believe, He is precious!" 1 Peter 2:7
MERCIFUL GOD
"There is no such thing as a great man of God, only weak, pitiful, faithless men of a great and merciful God." (Paul Washer)
Saturday, August 22, 2015
PREACHING CHRIST ALONE
"I do believe we slander Christ when we think we are to draw the people by something else but the preaching of Christ crucified." ~ Charles H. Spurgeon
CONGREGATIONS THAT SLANDER CHRIST
CONGREGATIONS THAT SLANDER CHRIST
"I do believe we slander Christ when we think we are to draw the people by something else but the preaching of Christ...
Posted by Preach the Gospel on Wednesday, February 25, 2015
THE MORE HE MOURNS
“I believe the holier a man becomes, the more he mourns over the unholiness which remains in him” -C. H. Spurgeon
The more a man looks to Christ, the more he rejoices that his sins are forgiven; Christ turns our mourning into joy; We do mourn, being convicted by the Holy Spirit, but we are not condemned. Todd Lambert
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
FEELINGS GO
“Feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God--
Naught else is worth believing.
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God--
Naught else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart
Whose Word cannot be broken.
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart
Whose Word cannot be broken.
I'll trust in God's unchanging Word
Till soul and body sever,
For, though all things shall pass away,
HIS WORD SHALL STAND FOREVER!”
Till soul and body sever,
For, though all things shall pass away,
HIS WORD SHALL STAND FOREVER!”
Martin Luther~
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