Sunday Leftovers (10/19/08)

When the founder of the Navigators, Dawson Trotman, died in a boating accident a generation ago (after being thrown from the boat, he held up two young women until they were saved, before perishing himself), there was disbelief and grief among all those who were present. Yet when a close friend broke the news to […]

Today’s Quote (10/19/08)

Amy Carmichael: And shall I pray to change Thy will, my Father, until it accord to mine? But no, Lord, no; that shall never be. Rather, I pray Thee blend my human will with Thine. (HT: John MacArthur)

Today’s Quote (10/18/08)

Edmund Clowney: Too many Christians still live with crossed fingers, sweating out their good luck as a portent of calamity. To see them, you would never guess that God’s good pleasure, and not the goddess of fate, rules human destiny. (HT: CQOD)

Today’s Quote (10/17/08)

John Piper, Desiring God: The purposes of God cannot be frustrated; there is none like God. If a purpose of God came to nought it would imply that there is a power greater than God’s. It would imply that someone could stay his hand when he designs to do a thing. But ‘none can stay […]

Today’s Quote (10/16/08)

H. C. Leupold, Psalms: With God things in this world never get out of hand.

Today’s Quote (10/15/08)

Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: God is in control; He is sovereign. He does whatever pleases Him and determines whether we can do what we have planned. This is the essence of God’s sovereignty; His absolute independence to do as He pleases and His absolute control over the actions of all His creatures. No creature, person, […]

Today’s Quote (10/14/08)

Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: No one can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it (Lamentations 3:37).…God is in control, but in His control He always allows us to experience pain. The pain is very real. We hurt, we suffer. But in the midst of our suffering we muct believe that […]

Are you scared?

I saw it in a headline a few days ago: “Scary economic times teach hard lessons about fiscal responsibility.” I’ve heard and overheard it in multiple ways since then, and even two or three different times today, “I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m afraid of (fill in the blank:) the economy, the presidential race, […]

Trust in God’s sovereignty tested

In light of my post from earlier this morning, and the discussion at the Bible Institute class last night, this post from John Piper on patience and trust when tested by God’s sovereignty is more than appropriate. He tells the story of theologian B. B. Warfield — Benjamin B. Warfield was a world-renowned theologian who […]

A few more thoughts about God and His holiness

As I reflected on last night’s study, along with the tension of covering much material far too quickly, I believe I left some confusion about the sovereignty of God. So let me attempt to un-muddy the waters for you. When we speak of the sovereignty of God, we are saying that God is in control, […]

Book Review: Is That You Lord?

Fleeces, open and closed doors, impressions, “peace” (or a lack of it) — all these are common means for believers attempting to discover the sovereign will of God for their lives. To that idea, pastor Gary Gilley counters in his book Is That You Lord? that there is a better, more God-exalting, Scripture-trusting, and freedom-giving […]

Sunday Leftovers (1/20/08)

Christ and the Father are unified in all their purposes — including their purpose in hardening unbelievers. Yet there is a mystery remaining — the sovereign will of God negates neither God’s compassion for the unbelief of unbelievers, nor their responsibility as they will one day stand under His judgment. So, here are one more […]

When life is bitter….

…trust promises, not providences. This week I’ve had multiple conversations with people who have family or friends who are walking through the valley of the shadow of death. And the shadow is dark and foreboding, filled with more questions and uncertainties than just the matter of death. One writer says that when the bitter experiences […]

Sunday Leftovers (10/21/07)

Some leftover quotations after thinking about God’s purposeful (read: sovereign) intention to use all circumstances to make worshippers out of unbelievers: “Our trials reveal the measure of our affection for this earth — both its good things and bad things. Our troubles expose our latent idolatry.” [John Piper, Life as a Vapor.] “In order to […]

Enduring with Christ When Others Sin Against You

At the recent Desiring God Conference, “Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints,” Jerry Bridges addressed the topic of how to endure, even when others sin against you: “Life is frequently difficult, and it’s sometimes painful. And if you live long enough, you will experience both difficulties and pain. And if you want […]