Jeremy Taylor: While the Spirit of God is doing this work [of regeneration] in man, man must also be ‘a fellowworker with God;’ he must entertain the Spirit, attend his inspirations, receive his whispers, obey all his motions, invite him farther, and truly renounce all confederacy with his enemy, sin; at no hand suffering any […]
Read More Working with the Spirit of GodJ. I. Packer, in Knowing God: “What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it — that I am never out of His mind. All my knowledge of Him depends on His sustained initiative in knowing me. I know Him, because […]
Read More Something better than knowing GodWhile most know the story of John Newton as the author of the hymn, “Amazing Grace,” most are unaware of all the variety of struggles he endured in his life. For instance, after believing God had called him to vocational ministry as a pastor, it was seven years before he was able to be ordained. […]
Read More When sufferingA. W. Tozer: If men do not have joy in their hearts they will seek it somewhere else. If Christians are forbidden to enjoy the wine of the Spirit they will turn to the wine of the flesh for enjoyment. The human heart with its divine capacity for holy pleasure must no longer be allowed […]
Read More Christ, our joyMartin Luther: When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said “Repent,” He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance. [#1 of his 95 Theses] Sinclair Ferguson: Biblical repentance…is not merely a sense of regret that leaves us where it found us. It is a radical reversal that takes us back […]
Read More True repentanceDavid Brainerd: As long as I see any thing to be done for God, life is worth having: but O how vain and unworthy it is, to live for any lower end! HT: CQOD.
Read More A life worth havingMichael Horton: My conscience does not render a positive verdict in God’s courtroom when I look inside myself. The only reason I can sleep well at night is that even though my heart is filled with corruption and even though I am not doing my best to please him, I have in heaven at the […]
Read More The only reason I can sleep well at nightThere are benefits to sickness, according to the puritan, Jeremy Taylor [Holy Dying]. Consider: Truth is, there are but two great periods in which faith demonstrates itself to be a powerful and mighty grace; and they are persecution and the approaches of death…By the faith of the promises we learn to despise the world, choosing […]
Read More A benefit of sicknessInstinctively and automatically [the carnal mind] will mobilize all the reasons it can conceive of for not praying now: You are too busy; your mind is too preoccupied; your heart is not inclined toward prayer; later on you will have more time, your mind will be more calm and collected, and you will be able […]
Read More Excuses for prayerB. B. Warfield: Ideally all of Christ’s children were saved before the foundation of the world, when they were set upon by God’s love, and given by the Father to the Son to be saved by Him. Objectively they were saved when Christ died for them on the tree, purchasing them to Himself by His […]
Read More The process of salvationChristians parent with one eye on eternity. Their children will live forever. This is a staggering thought. We cannot imagine “forever.” Nevertheless, the destiny of our children either will be love that surpasses knowledge, joy inexpressible and full of glory, coupled with peace that passes understanding, or it will be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of […]
Read More Parenting for lifeTwo days ago I read this statement by Martyn Lloyd-Jones in John Knox and the Reformation. After yesterday’s announcement by the President about his position on homosexual marriage, MLJ’s statement sounds even more profound: We are living in an appalling time of need, sin and evil rampant; the whole world is quaking and shaking. Is […]
Read More “We are living in an appalling time of need…”For two and a half months, we’ve been reading each weekday in the Gospels. What shall we do with all this talk of Jesus? Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely. Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace, and all […]
Read More Learn much of Jesus“It is true that Jesus forbids his people to worry. But to be free from worry and to be free from trouble are not the same thing.…it is reasonable to trust in our heavenly Father’s love, even in times of grievous trouble, because we have been privileged to see it revealed in Christ and his […]
Read More They said it better than me: worry and anxiety“Taking up the shield of faith…” Paul says (Eph. 6:16). His words are an encouragement exhortation to trust the Lord in all things. We safely nod in agreement, but all too often our lives reveal a different source of trust. We trust ourselves, our reason, our strength, our intuition, our sight. And, should our hearts […]
Read More Living a life of faith
Words of Grace 