Heaven and earth and all that is in them are the instruments through which [God] works His ends. Warfield

The present day tendency is to set aside the doctrines of Divine Sovereignty and Predestination in order to make room for the autocracy of human will. Boettner

I was hemmed in, and then he gave me the effectual blow of grace, and there was no resisting that irresistible effort of his grace- Spurgeon

Let us not see the face of man today till we have seen Jesus. Spurgeon

I must confess I never would have been saved, if I could have helped it. - Spurgeon

Needed Irresistible Grace

My heart and prayers have much been with friends who struggle with the doctrines of grace and statements like that of the total inability of man or of the irresistible grace of the Holy Spirit. 

With regard to "irresistible grace" - the argument goes along the lines of this; if the grace of God unto salvation cannot be resisted, then what happens to the free will of man?  Yet, rather than look at irresistible grace as an "intrusion" upon the will of man, isn't it better and more biblical to see it as an absolutely "needed" grace of God so that we might see our need of Jesus and turn to Him at all?

As I was pondering such things, I read last night's entry of Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" (September 8) and it spoke so eloquently of these things that I wanted to post it for your consideration.

"The exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead."
— Ephesians 1:19,20

In the resurrection of Christ, as in our salvation, there was put forth nothing short of a divine power. What shall we say of those who think that conversion is wrought by the free will of man, and is due to his own betterness of disposition? When we shall see the dead rise from the grave by their own power, then may we expect to see ungodly sinners of their own free will turning to Christ. 

It is not the word preached, nor the word read in itself; all quickening power proceeds from the Holy Ghost. This power was irresistible. All the soldiers and the high priests could not keep the body of Christ in the tomb; Death himself could not hold Jesus in his bonds: even thus irresistible is the power put forth in the believer when he is raised to newness of life. 

No sin, no corruption, no devils in hell nor sinners upon earth, can stay the hand of God's grace when it intends to convert a man. If God omnipotently says, "Thou shalt," man shall not say, "I will not." Observe that the power which raised Christ from the dead was glorious. It reflected honour upon God and wrought dismay in the hosts of evil. 

So there is great glory to God in the conversion of every sinner. It was everlasting power. "Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him." So we, being raised from the dead, go not back to our dead works nor to our old corruptions, but we live unto God. "Because He lives we live also." "For we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God." "Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." 

Lastly, in the text mark the union of the new life to Jesus. The same power which raised the Head works life in the members. What a blessing to be quickened together with Christ!

SDG

If the pefection of the divine plan be denied, no consistent stopping place will be found short of atheism. Boettner

John 14:6 - Three Questions

Three questions I asked of the youth group a couple weeks back as we looked at the words of Jesus as found in John 14:6.  Those three questions were:

1.  How can I be saved?
Do you believe that Jesus is the Way; has provided the only means by which we might be brought near to God by dying on the cross for our sins and reconciling us to God?  (Matthew 7:13-14; Acts 4:12)

2.  How can I be sure?
Do you believe that Jesus is the Truth; that all that He has said about God, Himself and man is true and that we can be sure that all He has said has either happened or is going to happen?  (Psalm 119:160).

3.  How can I be satisfied?
Do you believe that Jesus is the Life; that all other pursuit of life are only temporary and leave one dissatisfied.  Only by finding life in Jesus does one find true and lasting satisfaction (John 4:13-14; John 10:10).

May I ask you, are you saved? Are you sure? And are you satisfied?

If we cannot get sinners where Jesus is by ordinary methods we must use extraordinary ones. Spurgeon

A divided heart leads to the self-deception of divided worship. Stuart Scott

Our salvation must increasingly affect our preoccupation with Jesus.

Misplaced worship is idolatry. Let us worship God alone.

The angels of God serve him with songs, not with groans; a murmur or a sigh would be a mutiny in their ranks - Spurgeon

Bob Kauflin wrote: How you approach the start and end of a Sunday meeting says volumes about your view of the church and your role in it.

As long as we are content to live without revival, we will. ~ Leonard Ravenhill.

If any man will preach as he should preach, his work will take more out of him than any other labor under heaven - Spurgeon

Faith is the spiritual ability to believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

My goal is God Himself...At any cost, dear Lord, by any road." John Owen

I love my God, I love the fellowship of the redeemed, I love my family, I love the good hand of Providence.

If the foundation of the pulpit be not laid in private prayer, an open ministry will not be a success - Spurgeon

Assurance [of salvation] comes not through faith in our faith but through faith in the Redemmer Jesus Christ. R. Phillips

"Man contributes nothing to his salvation except the sin that makes it necessary." --Jonathan Edwards

Unless professed faith is working faith, it is not saving faith and therefore cannot be true faith. S. Ferguson

"Converse less with man, and more with God." -George Whitefield

Let us find assurance not by long meditations on our own souls...but through an ever-absorbing interest in the saving blood of Jesus Christ.

What Kind of Church Would It Be?

What kind of church would the local church that I attend be if everyone was just like me?

How long would the church be able to pay its bills, support its ministries, and back its missionaries?

If everyone reacted as I do, how long would it survive?

If everyone won as many souls as I do, would the church be growing or declining?

Suppose that everyone supported the services the way I do, would there be any gatherings of God’s people?

If everyone studied their Bible and prayed as much as I do, what would the church be like?

Suppose everyone followed my example when it came to visitation, teaching Sunday school, caring for the nursery, or helping with the chores – what kind of a church would it be?

There is nothing little in God; His mercy is like Himself - it is infinite. CHS

Faith is simply a shorthand description for those who abandon themselves unreservedly to Christ... S. Ferguson

The new life is not ours that we should ascribe its excellence to our own merit: it is Christ's image...and is ordained for His glory. CHS

What blessings of the Spirit of God are you anticipating today?

A Summer of Hope

- but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 

(2 Peter 3:18)

The Goal of “A Summer of Hope”

To provide and promote a mid-week time of fellowship at the church for the adults, encouraging involvement and engagement in worship; in praise to the Lord, in the discussion of God’s Word, and in prayer with and for one another. It will be hosted at the Church on Thursday nights!

The Time Frame of “A Summer of Hope”

“A Summer of Hope” will begin the first Thursday of June, June 3 and run through September 23.  It will be hosted at the church.

The Structure of “A Summer of Hope”

Everyone is encouraged to arrive at the church about 6:45 pm.  The time of fellowship will begin promptly at 7:00 pm.  The general structure of the service will be as follows:

1.  Worship in song and testimony - 7:00-7:25 pm

(children will be involved in this time)

2.  Worship in the Word - 7:25-8:00 pm

(sermon discussion questions – the children will have a separate time of Bible and play time)

3.  Worship in Prayer - 8:00-8:25 pm

(encouraging prayer for the church and for one another)

The Children of “A Summer of Hope”

In order to provide the adults an opportunity for engaging Bible study and prayer, we will be expecting each of the parents with young children as well as asking any other adults to rotate through leading the children in a provided, short (15 minute) Bible lesson followed by some kind of play time.  Being summer, the kids could be supervised outside playing. 

The goal is to have several adults take a week so as to minister to the other adults, allowing them to enjoy the time of Bible study and prayer.  The more adults that participate, the more time each adult gets to spend in the fellowship (i.e. if there are eight pairs of adults then they would only need to serve with the children once every eight weeks.  Since there are only 14 weeks from June to September (not including Family Unity Nights), some would only need to serve once.  Please see the sign up sheet for “A Summer of Hope” Children’s Ministry schedule.

 

Walking in a Manner Worthy - Humility

Ephesians 4:1-3

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Yesterday I focused in on the phrase found at the end of verse 2 “showing tolerance for one another in love.”  Nothing like jumping right into the middle of a verse, but then, as I noted, that is what stood out to me – yesterday.

Upon continued reflection and study of these verses, I found several other things intriguing as well and thought I would comment on them one at a time.  Generally speaking, what we find in these three verses is the call “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which [we] have been called” followed by some expressions of what this “walk” – this behavior of consistent gospel living - looks like.  This picture of a worthy walk begins in verse 2 with the word “humility”.

What comes to your mind when you read the word “humility”?  A dictionary definition of “humility” is – “the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc…”   We consider “humility” a virtue and essentially as the opposite of arrogance or self-pride.  But what is interesting about this word as

Paul used it is that in Paul’s day, there was NO word for humility.  The idea of having a modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance was considered so odious to the Greek and Roman cultures that there was no word given to describe such a quality; as least as we know it. 

So how did Paul come up with the word translated humility in our text?  Most scholars believe that the early Christians coined this word and some even believe that Paul himself put two Greek words to communicate the Christian virtue of humility.  The two Greek words are tapeinos – which speaks of a state of being; being in low degree or without means.  We might say of a beggar that he is in a “humble estate”.  Paul combined this word with phren – which speaks of the mind or the understanding.  So the combination of these two words yielded – tapeinophrosune – which means to be of lowly mind, or lowly minded.

When left to ourselves and unchecked by self or by others, we will tend to have inflated views of ourselves and of our rights.  We will begin to expect and demand more from others than we are perhaps willing to give of ourselves.  To be humble is not to demand such “rights” so that you are ministered to; but rather to give up your own rights in order to minister to and meet the needs of others.  Jesus Himself was “humble in spirit” – not demanding His deserved rights as God in the flesh, as the royal and lofty Son of the Most High God, but rather coming to serve.  And He served well. 

I read a story that illustrated the idea of humility.  The story is of a very educated and respected pastor who had earned his doctorate in theology.  He had a lofty manner of expressing himself and expected others to honor his station of life.  As he was visiting the people in his parish, he called upon the cottage of an elderly woman, who, in disregard of the times and customs in which she lived, spoke to the pastor in the most familiar of terms saying, “Come in by and sit doun.”  The stately pastor, who had expected a more respectful greeting, spoke to her in firmness in order to quell any further familiar speech by the women saying, “Woman, I am a servant of the Lord God come to speak with you on the concerns of your soul.”  The woman looked at the pastor and admirably said, “Then, ye’ll be humble like ye Maister.”  Upon hear these words, the pastor felt the reproof deeply and never again sought to magnify himself at the expense of his office.

If we are to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which [we] have been called” then we must be humble, never seeking to magnify ourselves at the expense of our position.  When we put expectations on others because of our position, be it a businessman or a housewife, a CEO or a father or mother, a church leader or pastor, we are not being humble.  We are not thinking in terms of how to best minister to others, but rather how we think others should best minister to us.  Let us learn to be humble like our Master; considering the needs of others before we consider even our own needs, to the glory of God  and to the building up of the body of Christ.

I  close once again with the words of Paul in Titus 3:14 and prayerfully ask you to make this your ambition:

Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. 

SDG,

Pastor Ed

Walking in a Manner Worthy of Our Calling - Showing Tolerance for One Another in Love

The apostle Paul penned these words to the believers at Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:1-3

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

What stands out to me is the phrase "showing tolerance for one another in love." The meaning of this statement is that it takes work to be a part of a church family. There is to be a constant extension of mercy; a putting up with one another even when we feel we are being abused or neglected in the process. There are so many different backgrounds, different expectations; different abilities; and different interests. And yet we ALL have the same commonality - OUR UNION WITH CHRIST. He has brought all this diversity together, in unity here at Hope CBC, order to accomplish something far greater than we can readily imagine.

What breaks up unity of diversity is any combination of the world, the flesh and devil. We may not be able to control the world and the devil, but we can and are to exercise control over the flesh (our feelings, our wills, our emotions, our wants, etc. - Galatians 5:22-23). Sometimes in church life we have to exercise "tolerance" - forbearance; but not just neutrally, but to show it, reveal it, LIVE IT, for one another "in love." This statement, "showing tolerance for one another in love" is like a blanket that is thrown over the sins and irritants of others, not in order to justify or excuse them, but to keep such things from becoming bigger in our own eyes as we seek to minister to one another. Such a tolerance has the idea of even taking abuse from others while continuing to love them.

And what of this love? This is agape love - that is a seeking of the highest good of one another regardless of personal cost and all to the glory of God. This is what we are called to. This is a "walking in a manner worthy of the calling with which [we] have been called" (Ephesians 4:1). This is keeping Christ as central and primary in our lives. The world will know that Jesus Christ has been sent by God as we demonstrate love, tolerant love, to one another.

EACH ONE OF US has a role, a part, an important gift of grace to contribute to the well-being of the the Body of Christ (1 Peter 4:10), to the exaltation of Christ and all to the glory of God. Let us pray for and learn our roles here at Hope CBC. Our flesh will come up with excuses not to serve, not to participate, not to be engaged; because of circumstances or people or whatever. At these times we must show tolerance to one another in love. So, when considering your plans and activities will you keep the following in mind?

We can so easily fall into the trap of doing what is right in our own eyes, which is really another way of saying, "doing what seems best for me." The real questions are;

1) Is this best for the glory of Christ (Colossians 1:18);

2) Is this best for the body of Christ (the fellowship - Hebrews 10:24-25); and

3) Is this best for the witness of Christ (evangelism - Matthew 5:16). (taken from the Hope CBC discussion board on Facebook. To read the entire discussion, please click here).

ONLY after I have prayerfully answered those questions can I rightly consider myself.

My heart aches for all of you with all the affection of Christ. Let us press on together for the cause of Christ, encouraging one another in the faith and evangelizing the lost to the glory of God.

For the glory of the Father and the exaltation of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit,

Pastor Ed

Psalm 103:1 - One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad. CHS

Our Master does not think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. Read Joshua 1:7.

Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature (Grudem). Sin is an assualt on the glory of God.

Sinfulness is demonstrated by a lack of conformity to the moral law of God.

Sin is the contradiction of the excellence of God's moral and holy nature.

All sin is ultimately irrational...it doesn't make sense.

Victory (over sin) will not come if you do not wage war on the battlefield of your heart (Lawson).

Nonchalant repentance is no repentance! (Lawson)

I not only read my Bible for my relationship to Christ but also to be a benefit to the Church.

Happy is he who has one desire, if that one desire be set on Christ (CHS). Ps. 27:4

"Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be. (J. Edwards)

How could I ever be insensitive to that sin in me which grieves the heart of God? May I never be so callous to sin.

If I see sin in another person, may I take inventory on my own soul to search for the same inquity and repent.

Sunday Worship

The following is from the Letters of John Newton (pastor and author of the text "Amazing Grace"). It was written to his church in 1768. I found it interesting and provocative. Any thoughts? Is he "out to lunch" or does he make a valid point?

"If you are one of those who do not wholly neglect the public worship of God—but accustom yourself to attend only once on Sundays, give me leave to ask you, or rather to desire that you would ask your own conscience, whether you have sufficient excuse for not attending twice? I know the circumstances of many families, such as sickness, young children, etc. will necessarily confine some people at home. But a due allowance for these impediments, will by no means account for the great difference between our congregations in the morning and in the afternoon of the same day.

Now, if you have not a lawful hindrance to plead, consider whether the same reasons that require your presence at the public worship once, are not equally strong for your being there both parts of the day. Why do you go at all? Is it not to join with others in paying homage to the great God? But by doing this once only, where opportunity and the example of others invite you twice—you contradict yourself, and act as if you thought it was sometimes your duty to join in worship, and sometimes not worth your while. Or, do you go with a hope of receiving good for your souls? Why then should you at any time be willing to stay away? Perhaps the opportunity you miss might have been made peculiarly useful to you. At least the Lord may justly punish your frequent neglect, by withholding His blessing when you do attend. And this may be one reason why you have attended morning worship so long—yet to so little purpose."

Jesus is positively lovely, and superlatively the loveliest (CHS).

There are three effects of nearness to Jesus - humility, happiness, and holiness.

Pride cannot live beneath the cross (CHS).

Our Lord Jesus, by His death, did not purchase a right to a part of us only, but to the entire man (CHS). Take my life, my all!

If we empty our hearts of self God will fill them with His love (CHS).

Dwell much with Jesus and it is impossible for you to be at peace with sin (CHS).

Hate evil, O Christians, unless you desire trouble (CHS).

You can't want what you don't want while you don't want it. But you can ask to want. And if God wills, the want will happen - Piper

Lord help me to never lose focus of the priority of Christ in all things (Colossians 1:18).

Christ is All

Jesus, You have given Yourself for me, may I give myself to You; You have died for me; may I live to You in every moment of my time, in every movement of my mind; in every pulse of my heart. May I never dally with the world and its allurements, but walk by Your side, listen to Your voice, be clothed with Your graces, and adorned with Your righteousness.

 (a reworded Puritan Prayer)

May my pursuit be not to become merely good but rather godly - in the likeness of Christ.

I purpose to love and follow Jesus Christ to the utmost of my ability.

Many who confess Christ are pampering themselves to death rather than pushing themselves to holiness. (Lawson)

A transformed life is the inevitable consequence of genuine faith - JMAC So, what are your consequences?

If I am 'in Christ' then the primary purpose of my life is to become in practice what I am in position.

"Under no circumstances ought we to be content unless we reflect the grace which was in Him." Spurgeon (2 Peter 3:18)

Hallel - final preps for Seder

Hallel - final preps for Seder

Faith's way of walking is to cast all care upon the Lord, and then to anticipate good results from the worst calamities. CHS

A morning flower from CFA

A morning flower from CFA

Simple Regeneration - by Spurgeon

Regeneration is a subject which lies at the very basis of salvation, and we should be very diligent to take heed that we really are "born again," for there are many who fancy they are, who are not. Be assured that the name of a Christian is not the nature of a Christian; and that being born in a Christian land, and being recognized as professing the Christian religion is of no avail whatever, unless there be something more added to it—the being "born again," is a matter so mysterious, that human words cannot describe it.

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

Nevertheless, it is a change which is known and felt: known by works of holiness, and felt by a gracious experience. This great work is supernatural. It is not an operation which a man performs for himself: a new principle is infused, which works in the heart, renews the soul, and affects the entire man. It is not a change of my name, but a renewal of my nature, so that I am not the man I used to be, but a new man in Christ Jesus.

To wash and dress a corpse is a far different thing from making it alive: man can do the one, God alone can do the other. If you have then, been "born again," your acknowledgment will be, "O Lord Jesus, the everlasting Father, Thou art my spiritual Parent; unless Thy Spirit had breathed into me the breath of a new, holy, and spiritual life, I had been to this day 'dead in trespasses and sins.' My heavenly life is wholly derived from Thee, to Thee I ascribe it. 'My life is hid with Christ in God.' It is no longer I who live, but Christ who liveth in me." May the Lord enable us to be well assured on this vital point, for to be unregenerate is to be unsaved, unpardoned, without God, and without hope.

John 3:7

We are resolved about it, Jesus must have the crown of our heart's delight; we will not dishonor our Bridegroom by mourning in His presence!

We may be certain that whatever God hs made prominent in His Word, He intended to be conspicuous in our lives. CHS

We are resolved about it, Jesus must have the crown of our heart's delight; we will not dishonor our Bridegroom by mourning in His presence!

O Great God

This is a great "new" hymn that we will be singing in church tomorrow. For those of you who would like to get familar with the words and theme, please read and consider the great truth of Ephesians 2:8-10.  If you would like to hear a sample of this hymn, please click here http://bit.ly/9jbPkH -

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

O Great God
Words and music by Bob Kauflin
As recorded on Valley of Vision

O great God of highest heaven
Occupy my lowly heart
Own it all and reign supreme
Conquer every rebel power
Let no vice or sin remain
That resists Your holy war
You have loved and purchased me
Make me Yours forevermore

I was blinded by my sin
Had no ears to hear Your voice
Did not know Your love within
Had no taste for heaven’s joys

Then Your Spirit gave me life
Opened up Your Word to me
Through the gospel of Your Son
Gave me endless hope and peace

Help me now to live a life
That’s dependent on Your grace
Keep my heart and guard my soul
From the evils that I face
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me

© 2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Understanding Revelation

Without tears the Revelation was not written and without tears can it be understood - J. Elliot.  Reading Revelation 2-3.

The avoidance of sin is not my righteousness!

The avoidance of sin, however increasing, however complete, is NOT my righteousness and therefore does NOT fit me for heaven.  It is the righteousness of Christ alone graciously imputed to me, granted to me by God that fits me for heaven. 

I will not be able to stand be the throne of Heaven and declare, "Because of my avoidance of sin, I may enter into God's heaven."  Rather, my confession will be, "Because of the righteousness of Christ freely bestowed upon me by the grace of God and upon which I alone trust to make this sinner a saint, I enter into God's heaven."

Galatians 6:15

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Philippians 3:8-9

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Titus 3:5-6

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior...

What is your righteousness?

-

What is sin?

The man who is disposed to think of his sin as a great calamity, rather than as a heinous crime, is not likely either to reverence God or to respect His law. 

- John Kennedy, 1873

Be Different!

Be different, stand out, let your light, your Christ-directed, Christ-exalting works, shine before men in such a way that your Father is glorified. 

"The tendency of these days is to break down the holy barrier, and make the distinction between the church and the world very nominal. ..be it your aim in heart in word, in dress, in action to maintain the broad wall, remembering that the friendship of this world is enmity against God." (Spurgeon).

Christian Employees

I was doing some reading online when I came across this very pointed paragraph.  Consider it carefully:

A secular writer recently pointed out that "work has increasingly come to be regarded as a distasteful means to the achievement of leisure, instead of leisure as a recuperative measure to refit us for work." That is a very mild way of saying that the present generation is pleasure mad and hates any kind of real work. Various explanations have been advanced to account for this: such as the ousting of craftsmanship by machinery, the fear of unemployment discouraging zeal, the doles, allowances and reliefs which are available for those who don’t and won’t work. Though each of those has been a contributing factor, yet there is a more fundamental and solemn cause of this social disease, namely, the loss of those moral convictions which formerly marked a large proportion of church-goers, who made conscience of serving the Lord while engaged in secular activities, and who were actuated by the principles of honesty and integrity, fidelity and loyalty.

What is amazing to me is that this all sounds very "present"; very much "now" - does it not?  Yet this was written prior to 1952 by A. W. Pink.  Things have not changed much in the past 60 years. All this reminds me of the "Preacher" who reminds us in Ecclesiastes 1:9:

That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. 

I cannot help but feel that if A.W. Pink were alive today, he would be even more dumbfounded by the reality of his statements.  Perhaps things have changed in the workplace, only not for the better.  I pray that we would not be found slack Christian Employees.  Consider Pink's further comments:

Nowhere has the hollowness of professing Christians been more apparent, during the last two or three generations, than at this point. Nowhere has more reproach been brought upon the cause of Christ than by the majority of those employees who bore His name. Whether it be in the factory, the mine, the office, or in the fields, one who claims to be a follower of the Lord Jesus should stand out unmistakably from his fellow employees who make no profession. His punctuality, his truthfulness, his conscientiousness, the quality of his work, his devotion to his employer’s interests, ought to be so apparent that there is no need for him to let others know by his lips that he is a disciple of Christ. There should be such a marked absence of that slackness, carelessness, selfishness, greed and insolence which mark the majority of the ungodly, that all may see he is motivated and regulated by higher principles than they are. But, if his conduct belies his profession, then his companions are confirmed in their opinion that "there is nothing in religion but talk."

Let us pray about our employment and seek to be bright testimonies of the reality of Jesus at work within us to the glory of God.

Faithful Friday!

May your faith, trust and assurance in the person and promises of God grow; may your love, kindness and mercy be evident to the saints and to all people; and may your hope in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ motivate you toward a life of purity and beauty in the things of the Lord and all toward the end of exalting God, edifying God's people, and evangelizing the lost! 

Make it a "Faithful Friday!"

God First

"Wherever there are competing concerns in your life, be sure you always put your relationship to God first" - Oswald Chambers.

Or as Jesus has taught - "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33).

I can't believe what a propensity I have to think that food, clothing, money, or other concerns should take precedence over my relationship to the Lord.  "Oh Lord, grant me a heart that longs for You first!"

Active Christians

But prove yourselves doers of the word, 
and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
James 1:22

Let us be wary of being merely "intellectual" Christians rather than pursing the course of also being "active" Christians.  The more we come to know about Christ, the more our lives should be lived in Christlikeness.

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, 
but in deed and truth.

1 John 3:18

Full of Christ

Those that are so full of Christ...are ready to think that others should be so too. (Matthew Henry)

Grace at Work

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

These are familiar verses, sometimes too familiar as we can be prone to neglect their significance for everyday living.  There is no doubt we are taught here that salvation is "by grace"; by God's undeserved, unmerited and most benevolent favor.  But we might forget to see that verse 10, being "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works," is also then by grace.  We need God's enabling grace, His divine power at work in us to change us, to conform us and to cause us to live according to His ways of good and righteousness rather than in our ways of selfishness and pride.

Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord describes how it is His grace, His doing that we are now enabled to live for Him, to be "His workmanship", that is, His masterpiece saying in Ezekiel 36:26-27;
 

26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and [I will] cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

[emphasis mine]

Let us never forget that God's grace working in us is a both a delight [for we do not deserve it] but also a duty [as we then become responsible to see this grace at work in us].  As the apostle Paul said in Philippians 2:12-13;

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 

This is grace, God's working in us His will and good pleasure and our enabling by God to do those things that reveal His grace at work in us.  Bob Kauflin captures this idea in song;

Grace abounding, strong and true
That makes me long to be like You
That turns me from my selfish pride
To love the cross on which You died

Bob Kauflin / © 2005 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

Grace "makes me long to be like" Jesus.  Grace "turns me form my selfish pride".  And grace causes me "to love the cross on which" Jesus died. 

I asked the youth group last night how they can know if this grace of God is at work in them.  We noted in singing the words above that one means is by noting how we are turned from our own selfish pride, turned from wanting our own ways, from reacting according to our own desires (which often results in anger, frustration, impatience, lust and the like) and by grace carefully considering how Jesus would have us give of ourselves.  I asked them to carefully take pause when they thought about something they wanted, good or bad, and then to prayerfully asked the Lord how they might turn that moment into an opportunity to do something for someone else to the glory of God.

How about you, will you take pause today and in your moment of reacting to something according to your desire, prayerfully ask the Lord to turn you from any selfish pride to respond to the good or benefit of another to the glory of God.? This is grace abounding.  This is grace at work in you and this is working out your salvation with fear and trembling.  I believe it was John MacArthur who wrote, "Grace that does not affect one's behavior is not the grace of God."  

Oh, Lord, may Your grace affect both our affections and our actions to live our lives wholly to You.

SDG,

Ed

Right Measurements!

God's measure of what is right must surely not be brought down to the measure of man: man's measure should rather be brought up to the measure of God. (J.C. Ryle)

Beware
Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him. (OC)

Christianity is Discipleship

If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, 

and take up his cross daily and follow Me. (Luke 9:23)

There can be no doubt from reading the New Testament that definition of Christianity is "discipleship" - a submitting to and following after Jesus Christ as Lord.  While we will all struggle with following Jesus perfectly due to our sin nature, the genuine desire and overall characteristic of the Christian life is a seeking and striving to be like Jesus.  Any profession of being a Christian without an ongoing practice of being a Christian is deficient mutation of genuine, biblical Christianity.

James M. Boice articulated this well when he wrote:

There is a fatal defect in the life of Christ’s church in the twentieth century: a lack of true discipleship. Discipleship means forsaking everything to follow Christ. But for many of today’s supposed Christians—perhaps the majority—it is the case that while there is much talk about Christ and even much furious activity, there is actually very little following of Christ Himself. And that means in some circles there is very little genuine Christianity. Many who fervently call Him ‘Lord, Lord’ are not Christians (Matthew 7:21)...There are several reasons that the situation I have described is common in today’s church. The first is a defective theology that has crept over us like a deadening fog. This theology separates faith from discipleship and grace from obedience. It teaches that Jesus can be received as one’s Savior without being received as one’s Lord...Discipleship in not a supposed second step in Christianity, as if one first became a believer in Jesus and then, if he chooses, a disciple. From the beginning, discipleship is involved in what it means to be a Christian....Is ‘faith’ minus commitment a true biblical faith?...If faith without works is dead—how much truer is it that faith without commitment is dead...True faith involves these elements: knowledge...heart response...and commitment, without which ‘faith’ is no different from the assent of the demons who ‘believe...and shudder’ (James 2:19) (James Montgomery Boice, Christ’s Call to Discipleship (Chicago: Moody, 1986), pp. 13, 14, 16, 21).

The Word of God teaches us that Christianity is discipleship, a learning and following the precepts and practices of our Lord Jesus Christ.  May we apply the great desire of the Psalmist who wrote in Psalm 119:34-38:

34 Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law And keep it with all my heart. 35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. 36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to dishonest gain. 37 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways. 38 Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You.

Blessings!

Ed

Cold!

Notice the temp. One degree!

Ice

Ice

Surviving the Cold

Sorry for the lack of any posts the past couple of days.  We have enjoyed an incredible cold streak here in NW Arkansas along with snow and ice.  That coupled with several meetings and extra counseling have slowed some of my "extra" activities such as blogging.

As a family, we have begun our new Bible reading schedule for 2010 and I stand amazed that passages I have read so many times come to life with new insights and fresh thoughts of our great God.  I am grateful that the Lord sees fit to constantly reveal Himself to us in His Word.  I pray that I might be able to translate these insights in some meaningful ways to this blog.

In addition to this, our family is also reading together Pilgrim's Progress (John Buynan's great allegory of the Christian journey).  I praise the Lord for my children (now in their mid-teens) who provide great questions and insights as we read along.  I suspect that some Buynan-like or Buynan-inspired thoughts will make their way into the blog as well.

1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.


SDG
Ed

Let me not forget to tremble. Our God is an awesome God!

A Unique Definition for Man's Sinful Condtion

Here is a unique definition for man's radical depravity and therefore his need for the grace of God to mend him:

...and Heaven have mercy on us all - Presbyterians and Pagans alike - for we are all dreadfully cracked about the head and desperately in need of mending.

Herman Melville Moby Dick

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

Ezekiel 36:26-27
Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 

Thank You, Lord for saving my soul from my own "dreadfully cracked" condition!

SDG

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, And Nobody

This is a short quip that many of you may have read before.  May it be that this would NEVER be descriptive of our church!

- - - - - - -

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

 

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

SDG

God Knows!

I may often be at a loss as to what I am doing or am going to do, but I always know that God knows exactly what He is doing.

SDG

Give Preference To One Another (Romans 12:10)

...give preference to one another in honor...

This exhortation has been on my heart and mind quite a bit lately. It is a constant battle to regard others first and to put their cares and needs above our own - and yet it is the call of every believer not only to show preference to one another, but to do so with the intent to honor others.

How often do we desire to be recognized, to be applauded, to have some kind of acknowledgment? How easily do we find our feelings hurt because we think we should be noticed or served? And yet the truth is, we should be going out of our way to acknowledge, encourage and honor others. This is the very thrust behind the phrase “give preference” – it is a word that carries the idea of rushing forward to do something for another. Even the marginal reading of the NASB reads, “outdo one another in showing honor.” If you have ever rushed to a door in order to open it for someone you have exercised giving preference. When you allow someone to go before you in a line, you are exercising preference. And when you daily consider how to put the cares and needs of your brothers and sisters in Christ, you are giving preference. Of course this means you know of the cares and needs of those around you.

As you go about your week, who might you do something for? Consider giving preference to someone at work, at school, at home and even at church. You might begin with a simple phone call or email, asking someone about their own week and from this listen for opportunities to rush forward to do something special for that person. Let us not be slow in doing good to one another for the glory of God.

SDG –

Ed

New Year's Resolutions?

The following is from Don Whitney's website Biblical Spirituality.  I so appreciated the questions and thought they would do us all well to consider.  Have a happy New Year's Day!

- - - - - - -

Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year

By Don Whitney

Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. “Consider your ways!” (Haggai 1:5) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them.

Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It’s so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we’re going and where we should be going.

The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God.

1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

In addition to these ten questions, here are twenty-one more to help you “Consider your ways.” Think on the entire list at one sitting, or answer one question each day for a month.

11. What’s the most important decision you need to make this year?

12. What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what’s one way you could simplify in that area?

13. What’s the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?

14. What habit would you most like to establish this year?

15. Who is the person you most want to encourage this year?

16. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?

17. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your work life this year?

18. What's one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?

19. What's one thing you could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?

20. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?

21. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?

22. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?

23. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?

24. What's the most important trip you want to take this year?

25. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?

26. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount this year?

27. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your commute this year?

28. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?

29. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?

30. What's the most important new item you want to buy this year?

31. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?


The value of many of these questions is not in their profundity, but in the simple fact that they bring an issue or commitment into focus. For example, just by articulating which person you most want to encourage this year is more likely to help you remember to encourage that person than if you hadn't considered the question.
If you've found these questions helpful, you might want to put them someplace—in a day planner, PDA, calendar, bulletin board, etc.—where you can review them more frequently than once a year. 

So let's evaluate our lives, make plans and goals, and live this new year with biblical diligence, remembering that, "The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage" (Proverbs 21:5). But in all things let's also remember our dependence on our King who said, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

Copyright © 2003 Donald S. Whitney.
Copyright Disclaimer: All the information contained on the Center for Biblical Spirituality website is copyrighted by Donald S. Whitney. Permission granted to copy this material in its complete text only for not-for-profit use (sharing with a friend, church, school, Bible study, etc.) and including all copyright information. No portion of this website may be sold, distributed, published, edited, altered, changed, broadcast, or commercially exploited without the prior written permission from Donald S. Whitney.

Great is the Lord!

Great is the LORD, and highly to be praise, and His greatness is unsearchable (Psalm 145:3).

As David records reasons for which he will extol, bless and praise the Lord (145:1-2), he begins by simply stating “Great is the Lord!” The Lord is “great” - that is exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all we can think and imagine. The word “great” speaks of that which is intense, superlative, utterly above and beyond anyone or anything else. This is ample reason for praising the Lord. What makes the Lord so great? Matthew Henry said it well:

We must declare, Great is the Lord, his presence infinite, his power irresistible, his brightness insupportable, his majesty awful, his dominion boundless, and his sovereignty incontestable; and therefore there is no dispute, but great is the Lord, and, if great, then greatly to be praised, with all that is within us, to the utmost of our power, and with all the circumstances of solemnity imaginable.

Because the Lord is so great, it is to be our daily endeavor to praise Him in the same manner...greatly or “highly”. It is to be our effort to go exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond every other effort to declare the greatness of of the Lord. We are called to employ every faculty of our being to find words and ways by which to give thanks to God. Our praise is never be shallow, but deep. It is never to be low, but high. The Lord is to be highly or greatly praised. We should be going out of our way to make this declaration, “Great is the Lord!” And if we should be inconvenienced in this effort, so be it, for to this purpose we have been called.

The rest of verse three tells us just one of the attributes that make the Lord great. We read, “...and His greatness is unsearchable” The word unsearchable means “past examination or deliberation.” Some may take this as an excuse not to examine or deliberate the things of God that make Him great This is not what this means. The point is that we can examine, discuss, talk about, explore, probe, investigate, survey, assess, study and analyze the person and work of God for hour upon hour, day upon day, month upon month and year upon year and we will never come to the end of our examination. Upon our consideration of the things of God, we will never, if truly seeking, come to the end of God and therefore run out of things for which to praise and thank God. He will always be great to those who rightly ponder Him. May David's resolve be ours as well...I will tell of Your greatness (Psalm 145:5b).

For His Glory,

Ed

If you follow Christ, you shall have all the dogs of the world yelping at your heels. CHS

Glory to God in the Highest - a praise of salvation!

As a Christmas present, my mother-in-law gave me a book of Spurgeon Sermons. The first series of sermons were, in fact, Christmas messages and the first message, which set the tone for the book, was based on Luke 2:14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

What I find so wonderfully amazing about Spurgeon's preaching is how easily he understands and links the glory of God and the gospel in his messages. Spurgeon's concern is always that God be recognized as Almighty Sovereign, particularly in salvation, and that man recognize his own need of all-grace, all-mercy, and all-effort on the part of this benevolent God to even have the hope of eternal life. In other words, if God did not act on His own for His own, His "own" would never have believed, would never have repented, and would never experience the bliss of salvation in Jesus Christ. All glory to God who first loved us and first opened our eyes to behold the beauty of Christ as Savior and who first instilled in us the very faith to come to Christ (John 6:44).

The following excerpt so firmly communicates what is at stake if we undermine the truth of Jonah 2:9, that salvation comes from the Lord. May I remind you again that this was found in a Christmas message entitled "The First Christmas Carol." This is no side issue for even in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ we find the sweet doctrines of grace, of God's goodwill toward man so evident. Please be in awe of the great truths communicated here as well as wary of any system of thinking or theology that undermines these biblical truths. May our longing be that God receives all the glory for salvation, for as the Scriptures say of God...

Revelation 4:6

Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.

And of Jesus it says:

Revelation 5:9

"Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

Spurgeon spoke:

But, let me say one word here before I go away from this point. We must learn from this, that if salvation glorifies God, glorifies him in the highest degree, and makes the highest creatures praise him, this one reflection may be added—then, that doctrine, which glorifies man in salvation cannot be the gospel. For salvation glorifies God.

The angels were no Arminians, they sang, "Glory to God in the highest." They believe in no doctrine which uncrowns Christ, and puts the crown upon the head of mortals. They believe in no system of faith which makes salvation dependent upon the creature, and, which really gives the creature the praise, for what is it less than for a man to save himself, if the whole dependence of salvation rests upon his own free will?

No, my brethren; there may be some preachers, that delight to preach a doctrine that magnifies man; but in their gospel angels have no delight. The only glad tidings that made the angels sing, are those that put God first, God last, God midst, and God without end, in the salvation of his creatures, and put the crown wholly and alone upon the head of him that saves without a helper. "Glory to God in the highest," is the angels' song.

May we sing with the angels and give all glory to God for so great a salvation as found in Jesus Christ our Lord!

In the Company of God

"There are no dilemmas out of which you shall not be delivered if you live near to God and your heart be kept warm with holy love.  He goes not amiss who goes in the company of God." - Charles Spurgeon

"Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love!"

"Jesus, keep me near the cross!"

Why is it that the very thing that brings healing to my spirit and joy to my heart can be the thing I avoid so readily? 

I love the exhortation of Deuteronomy 13:4 - "You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him." 

Oh to cling to Him, to hold on, get a firm grip and never let go.  Like a little child holding on to his daddy's leg when scared, Oh not to let go.  And the beauty of it is this, that as I cling to Him, while I feel in my soul as though if I lose my grasp I would be lost, the truth is that my Lord Himself eternally has hold of me.  Blessed thought!

John 10:26-29
26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

Thank You, Lord that I may cling to You and that You hold on to me!  Let me always be found in Your company!

God Sent His Son to be Human!

What makes "Christmas" so wonderfully unique is not that God sent His Son to the earth as a "baby" but rather as a "human" - the incarnation - God becomes man. To emphasize Jesus coming as a baby only confuses unbelievers, for all begin as babies. What makes Jesus so wonderfully awesome is that He came to be human, beginning as a baby. Coming as a human then begs the evangelistic question, "What was He before becoming human?" He was and continues to be Emmanuel - God with us. There the gospel begins to unfold.

Regarding the Church

Let he without sin cast the first stone if he will.
To say that my Bride isn't worth half the blood that I've spilled.
Point your finger and laugh if you choose
To say my Beloved is borrowed and used
She is strong enough to stand in My love.
I can hear her say:
I am weak. I am poor, I'm broken Lord but I'm yours.
Hold me Now. Hold me now.

by Jennifer Knapp

A Christless Christianity?

The church in the United States has willingly gone into captivity. The captors are not from a specific nation, but is rather the American culture and ideals. The church's captors are consumerism, pragmatism, self-sufficiency, individualism, positive thinking, personal prosperity, and nationalism. These are all antithetical to the gospel and yet the church too often has made these part and parcel in her midst.

The church is on her way to a Christless Christianity. The church speaks the name of Christ and yet is too often not Christ centered and negligent of the gospel. Michael Horton writes that the church's message and demonstration of “faith” is “trivial, sentimental, affirming, and irrelevant.” The church is embracing an alternative gospel, proclaiming a message of moralism, personal comfort, self help, self-improvement, and individualistic religion. Such a message and faith minimizes God and seeks to make Him meet our own self ends.

Adapted from the cover of “Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel” by Michael Horton