January 2009
12 posts
Borrowing from Culture - the good and the bad
“When we set out to communicate or live the gospel, we never start from scratch. Even before church buildings became completely indistinguishable from warehouse stores, church architects were borrowing from ‘secular’ architects. Long before the Contemporary Christian Music industry developed its uncanny ability to echo any mainstream music trend, church musicians from Bach to the Wesleys were...
Scripture Memory
The Word of God laid up in a sanctified memory, serves a man to resist temptations, puts the sword in his hand against his spiritual enemies, and is a light to direct his steps in the way of religion and righteousness. Thomas Boston, Human Nature In Its Fourfold State, p.222
Study the Bible more
We have not duly studied and honored the Word of God. We have given a greater prominence to man’s writings, man’s opinions, man’s systems in our studies than to the Word. We have drunk more out of human cisterns than divine. We have held more communion with man than God. Hence the mold and fashion of our spirits, our lives, our words, have been derived more from man than God. We...
Dependent on the gracious operation of the Spirit
“The majority of Christians do not realize that they are as wholly dependent upon the gracious operations of the Spirit within them as they are upon the meritorious righteousness of Christ without them. Therefore they need to seek God and count on the enablings of the former as definitely and as constantly as they trust in and rely on the finished work of the latter. As they are completely...
Take away the word - and no faith will remain
Take away the word, therefore, and no faith will remain - the word itself, whatever be the way in which it is conveyed to us, is a kind of mirror in which faith beholds God. In this, therefore, whether God uses the agency of man or works immediately by his own power, it is always by his word that he manifests himself to those whom he designs to draw to himself. John Calvin, Institutes of the...
What do you think when I say "Church"?
“There is a word that, when a Catholic hears it, kindles all his feeling of love and bliss; that stirs all the depths of his religious sensibilities, from dread and awe of the Last Judgment to the sweetness of God’s presence; and that certainly awakens in him the feeling of home; the feeling that only a child has in relation to its mother, made up of gratitude, reverence, and devoted...
Faith - (not a Starbucks definition)
Repentance is the hand releasing those filthy objects it had previously clung to so tenaciously. Faith is extending an empty hand to God to receive His gift of grace. Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin. Faith is receiving a sinner’s Savior. Repentance is a revulsion of the filth and pollution of sin. Faith is a seeking of cleansing there from. Repentance is the sinner covering his...
He has Lost no one - Pilgrim’s Progress Truth
“There shall be more wonder at the going to heaven of the weak believers than at the stronger ones. Mr. Greatheart, when he comes there, will owe his victories to his Master and lay his laurels at his feet; but fainting Feeblemind and limping Ready-to-Halt with his crutches, and trembling Little-Faith—when they enter into rest, will make heaven ring with notes of even greater admiration that such...
Our final journey
One of my favorite passages. It makes me long for home.
“Now you must note that the city stood upon a mighty hill, but the Pilgrims went up that hill with ease, because they had these two men to lead them up by the arms; also, they had left their mortal garments behind them in the river, for though they went in with them, they came out without them. They, therefore, went up here with much...
Want of Reading
What has exceedingly hurt you in time past, nay, and I fear to this day, is want of reading. I scarce ever knew a preacher who read so little. And perhaps by neglecting it you have lost the taste for it. Hence your talent in preaching does not increase. It is just the same as it was seven years ago. It is lively, but not deep; there is little variety; there is no compass of thought. Reading only...
Humble Parenting - Gospel Parenting
When our kids turn out well don’t take credit for it, because our parenting is by God’s grace. When our kids don’t turn out so well don’t take the blame for it, because God’s grace covers the multitude of our failures in our parenting. Be careful of pride in parenting. Tim Thuele - Grace Church, San Luis Obispo
Salvation - finished and accomplished
Our daily relationship with God is no foundation for acceptance with him.
Miles McKee - Miles McKee Ministries, Newtownards, Ireland