Thomas Brooks on fighting temptation. Wise words from a saint of old.

(HT: Recover the Gospel)

—————-

Satan is a spirit of mighty abilities; and his abilities to lay snares before us are mightily increased by that long experience of his. He has had time enough to study all those ways and methods which tend most to ensnare an undo the souls of men. He has made it his whole study, his only study, his constant study to find out stratagems to entangle and over throw the souls of men. When he was but a young serpent, he did easily deceive and outwit Eve; but now he is grown that ‘old serpent’ as John says in Rev. 12; he is as old as the world and is grown very cunning in experience. - If Satan has such a world of devices to ensnare the souls of men, then, instead of wondering that so few are saved, we might well marvel that any escape the snares of this cunning fowler.

I intend to set before you some special helps against all his devices. Now, to prevent objections. I shall first lay down this proposition:

Though Satan has his devices to draw souls to sin, yet we must be careful that we do not lay all our temptations upon Satan, that we do not wrong the devil, and father upon him what is to be fathered upon our own base hearts. Man has such an evil root within him, that were there no devil to tempt him, no wicked men in the world to entice him, yet that cursed sinful nature that is in him would draw him to sin, though he knows beforehand that the wages of sin is eternal death. The whole frame of man is out of frame: the understanding is dark, the will cross, the memory slippery, the affections crooked, the conscience corrupted, the tongue poisoned, and the heart wholly evil, only evil, and continually evil. If God should chain up Satan, and give him no liberty to tempt the sons of men to vanity or folly, they would not, they could not but sin against Him by reason of that cursed nature that is in them. Satan has only a persuading sleight, not an enforcing might. He may tempt us, without ourselves he cannot conquer us. In every sin our hearts carry the greatest stroke: the fire is our wood, though it be the devil’s flame. Satan can never undo a man without himself; but a man may easily undo himself without Satan. Don’t excuse yourself by your accusing him.

Now for the helps I want to offer.
Walk by rule. He that walks by rule walks most safely, most honorably, most sweetly. When men throw off the Word, then God throws off them and then Satan takes them by the hand and leads them into snares at his pleasure. He that thinks himself to be too good to be ruled by the Word, will be found too bad to be owned by God; and if God do not or will not own him, Satan will by his stratagems overthrow him. They that keep to the rule, shall be kept in the hour of temptation. Rev. 3:10. ‘Because thou hast kept the word of My patience. I also will keep thee in the hour of temptation.’

Take heed of grieving the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of God that is best able to discover Satan’s plots against us; it is only He that can point out all his snares, and enable men to escape those pits that he has digged for their precious souls. Be sure the Spirit be not grieved by your enormities, nor by refusing the cordials He sets before you, nor by slighting and despising His gracious actings in others.

Labor for more heavenly wisdom. Though there is no fear of knowing too much, there is much fear in practising too little. There are many knowing souls, but there are but a few wise souls. There is oftentimes a great deal of knowledge where there is but little wisdom to improve that knowledge. Ah! Souls, you have need of a great deal of heavenly wisdom to see where and how Satan lays his snares, and wisdom to find out proper remedies against his devices, and wisdom to apply those remedies seasonably, inwardly and effectually to your own heart, that so you may avoid the snares which the evil one has laid for your precious souls.

Make present resistance against Satan’s first motions. It is safe to resist, it’s dangerous to argue. Eve argued, and fell in paradise: Job resists, and conquers upon the dunghill. He that will play with Satan’s bait, will quickly be taken with Satan’s hook. The promise of conquest is made over to resisting, not to arguing: ‘Resist the devil, and he will fly from you,’ James 4:7. Ah, souls! were you better at resisting than at disputing, your temptations would be fewer.

Labor to be filled with the Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of light and power; and what can a soul do without light and power against spiritual wickedness in high places? Eph. 4:12. That is a sweet word of the apostle. ‘Be filled with the Spirit,’ Eph. 5:18: i.e., labor for abundance of the Spirit. He that thinks he has enough of the Holy Spirit, will quickly find himself vanquished by the evil spirit. Satan has his snares to take you in prosperity and adversity, in health and sickness, in strength and weakness, when you are alone and when you are in company, when you come on to spiritual duties and when you come off from spiritual duties; and if you are not filled with the Spirit, Satan will be too hard and too crafty for you, and will frequently and easily take you in his snares, and make a prey of you in spite of your hopes. Therefore, labor more to have your hearts filled with the Spirit than to have your heads filled with notions, or your shops with wares, or your chests with silver, or your bags with gold; so shall you escape the snares of this fowler and triumph over all his plots.

Keep humble. A humble heart will rather lie in the dust than rise by wickedness, and sooner part with all for the peace of a good conscience. Humility keeps the soul free from many darts of Satan’s casting, and snares of his spreading; as the low shrubs are free from many violent gusts and blasts of wind which shake and rend the taller trees. The devil has least power to fasten a temptation on him that is most humble. He that has a gracious measure of humility, is neither affected with Satan’s proffers, nor terrified with his threatenings. It is reported of Satan that he should say thus of a humble man: You do always overcome me; when I would exalt and promote you, you keep yourself in humility; and when I would throw you down, you lift up yourself in assurance of faith.

God has said that ‘He will teach the humble’, that ‘He will dwell with the humble’, and that ‘He will fill and satisfy the humble’. And if the teachings of God, the pourings-in of God will not keep the soul from falling into Satn’s snares, I do not know what will. And therefore as you would, be happy in resisting Satan and all his snares, keep humble; I say again, keep humble.

Keep a strong, close and constant watch, I Thes. 5:6. A secure soul is already an ensnared soul. That soul that will not watch against temptations, will certainly fall before the power of temptations. Satan works most strongly on the fancy when the soul is drowsy. The soul’s security is Satan’s opportunity to fall upon the soul and to spoil it, as Joshua did the men of Ai. The best way to be safe and secure from all Satan’s assaults is, with Nehemiah and the Jews, to watch and pray, and pray and watch. By this means they became too hard for their enemies, and the work of the Lord did prosper sweetly in their hands. Remember how Christ chided His sluggish disciples, ‘What! could ye not watch with Me one hour?’ what, cannot you watch with Me, how will you then die with Me? - Satan always keeps a crafty and malicious watch. ’seeking whom he may devour’. Shall Satan keep a crafty watch, and shall not Christians keep a holy, spiritual watch?

Engage not against Satan in your own strength. but be every day drawing new strength from the Lord Jesus. Undoubtedly, that soul that engages against any old or new temptation without new strength, new influences from on high, will fall before the power of the temptation. You may see this in Peter; he rested upon some old received strength. -’Though all men should deny Thee, yet will not I.’ and therefore he falls sadly before a new temptation, denying Christ thrice, that had thrice appeared gloriously to him. Ah, souls! remember this, that your strength to stand and overcome must not be expected from grace received, but from the renewed influences of heaven. You must lean more upon Christ than upon your duties; you must lean more upon Christ than upon your experience; you must lean more upon Christ than upon your graces, or else Satan will carry you into captivity.

Be much in prayer. Prayer is a shelter to the soul, a sacrifice to God and a scourge to the devil. There is nothing that renders plots fruitless like prayer; hence says Christ, ‘Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.’ Ah, souls! take words to yourselves and tell God that Satan has spread his snares in all places and in all companies; tell God that he digs keep and that he has plot upon plot, and device upon device, and all to undo you; tell God that you have neither skill nor power to escape his snares; tell God that it is a work too hard for any created being to work your deliverance, unless He put under His own everlasting arms; tell God how His honor is engaged to stand by you, and to bring you off, that you be no ruined by Satan’s plots; tell God how the wicked would triumph if you should fall in his snares; tell God if He will make it His honor te save you from falling into Satan’s snares, you will make it your glory to speak of His goodness and to live out His kindness.

Many a man by a common hand of providence escapes many a snare that man has laid for him, but yet escapes not the snares that Satan has laid for him. Many men are lifted up above the snares of men by a common hand of providence, that are left to fall into the snares of the devil by a hand of justice. - Deliverance from Satan’s snares does carry with it the clearest evidence of the soul and heart of God to be towards us, Ps. 140.141.

This world, this wilderness, is full of snares; all employments are full of snares, and all enjoyments are full of snares. In civil things, Satan has his snares to entrap us; and in all spiritual things he has his snares to catch us. Satan, who acts by an untired power, and who will never let the saints rest till they are taken up to an everlasting rest in the bosom of Christ, Satan is so powerful and subtle that he will often make the greatest and dearest mercies to become our greatest snares.

How should the consideration of these things make your soul say with the Church, ‘Make haste, my Beloved, and be like a roe or a young hart upon the mountain of spices,’ and to love, and look, and long for the coming of Christ. Till you are taken up in the bosom of Christ, your comforts will not be full, pure, and constant; till then Satan will still be thumping on you and spreading snares to entangle you; therefore you should always be crying out with the Church, ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’

Tim Challies posts an insightful article on 6 ways to hinder our prayers.

Today Grace to You launched a new page on their site where they plan on providing, free of charge, an expositional study of a book of the Bible. The plan is to have a new sermon online every Friday. They launched it off with the book of Philemon. This sure looks like a great resource for anyone and everyone who seeks to know the Bible verse by verse; or as GTY says it, “Unleashing God’s Truth, One Verse at a Time.”

Here’s an easy way to start an expositional study through a book of the Bible. Each week we’ll update the website with a new message so you can work through an entire book, verse-by-verse, with pastor-teacher John MacArthur.

We’ll post the newest message on Friday (so you can have it for your Saturday morning devotions) and leave it up for the duration of that book study. You can check back each week, or you can add the “GTY Audio Study” to your RSS feeder to receive an automatic reminder (click here to learn more about GTY RSS feeds).

If you’ll set aside the time, we’ll give you the message. So grab your Bible, a notebook and pen (or open a new document!), and get ready to enjoy the profound riches of God’s Word.

Take a look at this news special featuring 92 year-old Pauline Jacobi who, when being threatened, gave the thief an unexpected gift.

(HT: Challies)

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.

– Psalm 119: 9-11 (NASB)

Christ prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” These are simple words, yet utterly profound words which take us into the very heart of our Savior who understood that the only means of sanctification (of growth in the Christian life) was by the Word–the revealed, God-breathed book of God (see 2 Tim. 3:16).

Today is Palm Sunday, the day in which Jesus entered Jerusalem with the feigned worship of “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel” (Jn. 12:13). May we not be like so many of those gathered that day, worshiping externally yet with empty hearts in the inside.

Seeing all that our Savior gave for us should overwhelm our hearts with gratitude and praise, desiring to live our lives for Him and Him alone. How do we do that? It’s simple: get in the Word. And allow that to be used by His Spirit in order to grow. Now the question is, do you want to grow? Or are you content in being a babe, being tossed here and there, not knowing what you believe? Or do you want to have a life full of discernment, delighting in knowing Your God more and more.

I came across an article I wrote last year which I think is suitable . . . Longing for the Word.

John Piper offers such insightful thoughts on humility:

If humility is not compliance with relativism and is not sophomoric skepticism, what is it? This is important, since the Bible says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5), and “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). God has told us at least six things about humility.

1. Humility begins with a sense of subordination to God in Christ.

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. (Matthew 10:24)

Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. (1 Peter 5:6)

2. Humility does not feel a right to better treatment than Jesus got.

If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! (Matthew 10:25)

Therefore humility does not return evil for evil. It is not life based on its perceived rights.

Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps; . . . while suffering, He uttered no threats, but handed [his cause] over to Him who judges righteously. (1 Peter 2:21-23)

3. Humility asserts truth not to bolster ego with control or with triumphs in debate, but as service to Christ and love to the adversary.

Love rejoices in the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:6)

What I [Jesus] tell you in the darkness, speak in the light. . . . Do not fear. (Matthew 10:27-2

We do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. (2 Corinthians 4:5)

4. Humility knows it is dependent on grace for all knowing and believing.

What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Corinthians 4:7)

In humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

5. Humility knows it is fallible, and so considers criticism and learns from it; but also knows that God has made provision for human conviction and that he calls us to persuade others.

We see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

A wise man is he who listens to counsel. (Proverbs 12:15)

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men. (2 Corinthians 5:11)

6. Humility is to believe in the heart and confess with the lips that our life is like a vapor, and that God decides when we die, and that God governs all our accomplishments.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16)

(HT: Desiring God Blog)

Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God

J.I. Packer

126 pages

InterVarsity Press (1961, 1991)

Recommend: Yes

Genre: Evangelism

Introduction:

There is no doubt that in my mind — from both personal experience and observation of those around me — that there seems to be a tension with the thought of God being completely sovereign in the affairs of man, namely salvation in this context, and the thought of God requiring us to share the truth that we have with those who don’t know it. “If God is truly sovereign over who gets saved and how they get saved,” so the argument goes, “then there is really no point in me going out of my way in witnessing the gospel of Christ to unbelievers. God is in charge . . . and if they’re going get saved with or without me then there is really no point in investing my time in evangelism.”

Though sad to admit, this has become the pervasive thought of many Christians today. One of the many charges leveled against Calvinism and its emphasis on the sovereignty of God in salvation is that which I just brought up. “It doesn’t make sense,” they say.

Despite the arguments and the critiques, Scripture clearly presents both of these truths — the sovereignty of God in saving sinners and the duty of Christians to evangelize (to share the gospel message of Christ and His saving work accomplished on the cross, received on the basis of faith). It is natural for the human mind to want to smooth out all the rough edges, as it were, to make it more comprehensible. Wanting to do this many err on either side. On the one hand you have those who emphasize the duty and responsibility of man to evangelize and they tend to leave God out of the equation in the process of salvation, as if salvation if all about man picking himself up by the bootstraps and gathering all the willpower to be saved. That of course has some real problems when you stop and ponder the biblical picture of man — man without God — and how utterly unable and unwilling they are to choose Christ in and of himself (e.g., Eph. 2:1-3; Tit. 3:3; Jer. 17:9, etc.).

But then we have those who overemphasize the sovereignty of God; so much so that we end up with a fatalistic system where man is seen simply as a robot, with no self-desire — a mere puppet in the hands of a puppeteer. This, again, has some serious Bible to deal with. Passages are replete which emphasize the call to repent of sins, to turn to Christ, to come and choose life (e.g., Acts 17:30-31; Matt. 11:28-30, etc.). But within the context of evangelism, no passage is more clearer than Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB), which has been commonly referred to as the “Great Commission”:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

With such a controversial subject, J.I. Packer seeks to deal with it head-on, using the Bible as his guide and source. Though a short treatment of the subject, it doesn’t lack in content. Packer has a way with words unlike many men whom I have read, which makes his ability to communicate effective and winsome.

Book Structure:

The book follows a simple outline. Packer first deals with the issue of divine sovereignty and how both Arminians and Calvinists find common ground on this issue. “On our feet we may have arguments about it, but on our knees we are all agreed” (p. 17).

In chapter two the core issue is dealt with, divine sovereignty and human responsibility. He admits the apparent contradiction — which Packer defines as an antinomy (def. “an antinomy . . . is an observed relation between two statements of fact. It is not deliberately manufactured; it is forced upon us by the facts themselves . . . We do not invent it, and we cannot explain it. Not is there any way to get rid of it, save by falsifying the very facts that led us to it” [p. 21]) — and concludes that there is a certain mystery to this subject, but the Bible nonetheless teaches these two truths. Far it be from us to cast aside any of these truths which the Bible makes so clear.

Packer then addresses evangelism in chapter three with four questions which he answers throughout the chapter: 1. What is evangelism?; 2. What is the evangelistic message?; What is the motive for evangelizing?; 4. By what means and methods should evangelism be practised? This is a meaty chapter which is very enlightening.

And finally in chapter four, Packer goes back once more and talks about divine sovereignty and evangelism. Suffice it to say that Packer does a superb job in dealing with such a intricate and mysterious subject, such as this one, simply and effectively. In his final lines, Packer sums up the effects of the sovereignty of God in our evangelistic efforts:

“Not only does it undergird evangelism, and uphold the evangelist, by creating a hope of success that could not otherwise be entertained; it also teaches us to bind together preaching and prayer; and as it makes us bold and confident before men, so it makes us humble and importunate before God” (p. 125).

Notable Quotes:

• “While we must always remember that it is our responsibility to proclaim salvation, we must never forget that it is God who saves. It is God who brings men and women under the sound of the gospel, and it is God who brings them to faith in Christ. Our evangelistic work is the instrument that He uses for this purpose, but the power that saves in not in the instrument: it is in the hand of the One who uses the instrument” (p. 27).
• “Evangelism is man’s work, but the giving of faith is God’s” (p. 40).
• “…It was the news about Jesus of Nazareth. It was the news of the incarnation, the atonement, and the kingdom–the cradle, the cross, and the crown–of the Son of God. It was the news of how God ‘glorified his servant Jesus’ by making Him Christ, the world’s long-awaited ‘Prince and . . . Savior’. It was the news of how God made His Son Man; and how, as Man, God made Him Priest, and Prophet, and King; and how, as Priest, God also made Him a sacrifice for sins; and how, as Prophet, God also made Him a Lawgiver to His people; and how, as King, God has also made Him Judge of all the world, and given Him prerogatives which in the Old Testament are exclusively Jehovah’s own–namely, to reign till every knee bows before Him, and to save all who call on His name. In short, the good news was just this: that God has executed His eternal intention of glorifying Hos Son by exalting Him as a great Saviour for great sinners” (p. 47).
• “Regarded as a human enterprise, evangelism is a hopeless task. It cannot in principle produce the desired effect. We can preach, and preach clearly and fluently and attractively; we can talk to individuals in the most pointed and challenging way; we can organize special services, and distribute tracts, and put up posters, and flood the country with publicity–and there is not the slightest prospect that all this outlay of effort will bring a single soul home to God. Unless there is some other factor in the situation, over and above our own endeavours, all evangelistic actions foredoomed to failure. This is the fact, the brute, rock-bottom fact, that we have to face” (p. 109).
• “We may not trust in our methods of personal dealing or running evangelistic services, however excellent we may think them. There is no magic in methods, not even in theologically impeccable methods. When we evangelize, our trust must be in God who raises the dead. He is the almighty Lord who turns men’s hearts, and He will give conversions in His own time. Meanwhile, our part is to be faithful in making the gospel known, sure that such labour will never be in vain. This is how the truth of the sovereignty of God’s grace bears upon evangelism” (p. 117-8).

Conclusion:

Conclusion is that Packer has given a great gift to the church is dealing with this issue and presenting a biblical (and logical, though mysterious) answer a question which often plagues the believer.

A great blessing is in store of the man that picks up this book. Need I add more?

The Expository Genius of John Calvin

Steven Lawson

160 pages

Reformation Trust (2007)

Recommend: Yes

Genre: Preaching / Biography / Church History

Introduction:

Steven Lawson, the author of the series, A Long Line of Godly Men, will, I think, contribute much to our understanding of the wonderful truths of the Bible. Separate from this book, yet in the same series, Lawson has embarked on a five-volume series on the doctrines of grace, as they’re commonly referred to. I’m midway with the first volume (Foundations of Grace) and I am in immense gratitude for this piece of work which has expanded and taken me deeper and deeper into the wonderful doctrines of the sovereignty of God in all of human affairs — salvation included– and the great grace we experience because of His good pleasure.

Despite our thoughts of John Calvin (1509-1564), one cannot dismiss his impact on the church — effects which we still feel today. While many have written on Calvin and his life, few have written solely of him and his preaching; Lawson seeks to do just that.

It is no understatement to say that preaching today is on a downgrade within the evangelical church. Lawson points out:

“Exposition is being replaced with entertainment, preaching with performances, doctrine with drama, and technology with theatrics. Desperately does the modern-day church need to recover its way and return to a pulpit that is Bible-based, Christ-centered, and life-changing” (p. xi).

Future books in this series will delve into the ministries of such men as Martin Luther, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards (which is to come out in September of 2008, entitled, The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards), Charles Spurgeon, and others. It is no lie that my anticipation for this series is high and I’m sure I won’t be let down.

Book Structure:

The book covers everything in preaching — from core foundations to all the practical nuts-and-bolts of the preaching development to the concluding remarks of the sermon.

Here are the chapter titles:

1. Calvin’s Life and Legacy
2. Approaching the Pulpit
3. Preparing the Preacher
4. Launching the Sermon
5. Expounding the Text
6. Crafting the Delivery
7. Applying the Truth
8. Concluding the Exposition

In the chapters, Lawson breaks into very practical observations from Calvin’s preaching methodology (e.g., persuasive reasoning, vivid expressions, simple restatements, loving rebuke, climactic prayer, and many more — 32 in all).

The book as a whole is easy to read and follow. It’s a small (5.25 x 7.5) and relatively short.

[From publisher: pdf file of table of contents and sample chapter]

Notable Quotes:

• “The greatest seasons of church history—those eras of widespread reformation and great awakening—have been those epochs in which God-fearing men took the inspired Word and unashamedly preached it in the power of the Holy Spirit” (xi-xii).
• “Calvin’s high view of preaching was undergirded by a high view of God, a high view of Scripture, and an accurate view of man. . . . Where are such men of God today? Where are the preachers like Calvin, who will preach the Word with unwavering commitment? Where are the pastors who believe that God is uniquely with them as they mount their pulpits for the exposition of His Word? Where are the shepherds who have prioritized the preaching of the Word in public worship? Where are the expositors who will preach entire books of the Bible consecutively month after month and year after year?. . . . It is desperately essential in this hour that preachers recover a soaring vision of the supremacy of God. Life-changing, history-altering preaching will come only when pastors reclaim a high view of God’s blazing holiness and are overshadowed by His absolute sovereignty. Towering thoughts of God’s transcendent glory must captivate preachers’ souls. May you be one who leaves the lowlands of trivial thoughts about God behind. A low view of God leads only to mediocrity. But a high view of God inspires holiness and a resolute spirit. May you ascend to the heights of the mountaintop and behold, as Calvin did, the breathtaking glory of God.”  (pp. 34-35, 51).
• Calvin: “We must all be pupils of the Holy Scriptures, even to the end; even those, I mean, who are appointed to proclaim the Word. If we enter the pulpit, it is on this condition, that we learn while teaching others. I am not speaking here merely that others may hear me; but I too, for my part, must be a pupil of God, and the word which goes forth from my lips must profit myself; otherwise woe is me! The most accomplished in the Scripture are fools, unless they acknowledge that they have need of God for their schoolmaster all the days of their life” (pp. 41-42).
• This is where application must begin in every sermon— with the preacher himself. Before any expositor looks outward
  to the congregation, he must first look inward. One finger points out to the people, but three point back at his own heart. No preacher can take his people where he himself is not willing to go. May God give His church in this day humble and holy shepherds who practice what they preach” (p. 116).
  

Conclusion:

Some might say, “There’s really no point in reading a book such as this if I don’t preach.” — Nothing can be further from the true. While preachers will benefit greatly from a work such as this, I believe that ordinary folk who sit on the pews on Sunday mornings will reap great rewards from this work. We should all walk out saying, “We truly have heard the Word of God preached and proclaimed.”

The pulpit, and the preacher who stands behind it, are one of the most important — if not the most — aspects of a church body. It is from this dynamic that God has set in place where the people of the Lord hear the Word and commit to obey. The pastor shepherds the flock, and one of the ways he does that is by leading the sheep into the marvelous truths of Scripture, in order for us be fed by it and grow in regards to salvation. Furthermore, with such insights gleaned from this book, one will be able to support and pray for one’s pastor; knowing that the call is no easy task, but one which requires the preacher to bow the knee before the Lord and His Word and then, in the power of the Spirit, proclaim it to a lost and sinful world in desperate need of the truth.

All that to say that I warmly recommend this book to both preacher and congregant alike — both will greatly benefit.

It’s a been a long time since I last wrote on this blog—a long time indeed. And I have to admit that I do miss it a lot; hopefully in the near future I will be able to dedicate much more time to putting my thoughts online.

All Christians go through an ebb and flow of spiritual vibrancy. Sometimes one feels as though one is flying up high in great communion and fellowship with the Lord. Then there are those times when God feels distant and nowhere present. The sad reality is that we, as humans, are vacillating, hesitant, and unsure. In short, we are prone to not be the same person that we were yesterday; either from changing internal or external circumstances.

But thankfully we serve and worship a God who is unchanging: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). In the Old Testament prophet, Malachi, we find that God is dealing with His people, Israel, and with indictments that God is somehow unfair and unjust. God boils down the reason for His mercy shown on Israel due to his unchangeableness: “For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed” (Mal. 3:6).

We change, but not God. We are prone to be swept by our, sometimes, overpowering emotions (whether good or bad) but yet God is fixed and always does what pleases Him.

Recently, as I’ve been examining my heart and my passion for God, I’ve been noticing that things have not been as they have. A certain apathy and lethargy has blinded my view of God and consequently, my desire to be with Him. I’ve immediately thought to myself that I need to get more disciplined; discipline must be the key. And while discipline is a crucial issue, it is not the most important. Through one my good mentor’s advice, I’ve been learning that the key to unlock a consistent and passionate pursuit of God is a matter of love, not discipline.

In the last few years I’ve become an organized maniac who seems to have everything planned (hour-by-hour) at least two weeks in advance. You walk in my room and you’d find my books dewey-decimal’d (I just just made up a verb!) and you’ll find everything neatly arranged. Of course, compared to my good ol’ college dorm-mates, it’s a good thing. Discipline is a good thing; a good thing which many people sadly lack and don’t care for cultivating. Yet the rubber meets the road when I attempt to apply my zeal for discipline to my zeal for God. “If I can just get more organized,” I reason, “I’d glorify God and have more time for Him.” Granted, discipline does play a pivotal and important role in living a life for the glory of God, but as I’ve been made aware of recently, I need to cultivate love first and foremost.

The question that I need to ask myself is, “Do I really love God?” Am I cultivating a real sense of gratitude and passion for Him based on fiery love or mere dry duty? It is so easy to get caught up in doing what we always do, that we become a lot like the Pharisees whom Jesus detested and abhorred for their routinely, lifeless religiosity. I pray to God that we would be awakened, by His Spirit, to love Him more and more; to be filled with a biblical view of sin and an overwhelming view of His grace poured on us–wicked and vile sinners–deserving everything but love, grace, and mercy.

“We love, because He first loved us.”
- 1 John 4:19

I know this is a bit late for many individuals already, but I simply cannot help myself in not putting it on here. Watch this clip of Trinity vs. Millsaps in Mississippi on October 27, 2007. The score was 22 (Trinity), 24 (Millsaps). These are two college division 3 football teams. With two seconds remaining on the clock and on their 39-yard line, Trinity had very little options to go with.

This has to be one of the best–if not the best–play in football history. I’m not going to spoil for you . . . simply watch.

Humility: True Greatness

C. J. Mahaney

174 pages

Multnomah (2005)

Recommend: Yes

Genre: Christian Living/Practical Life

Introduction:

In Isaiah 66:2, God says, “This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit” (ESV). What a standard! Humility is one of those character traits that the world values in word but not in actuality. For the Christian humility is not only indispensable, but a mandate. One of my good friends would often jokingly tell me, “I’m the most humble person I know,” while I would respond, “I’m so proud of my humility.” While we may joke around with humility, we all know the natural human tendency to become puffed up and arrogant. Sometimes we even portray a “false” humility where we fake our piety in order to receive applause and praise for our facade. Indeed, to be humble is the pursuit of a lifetime when placed under the perfect shadow of our Lord who Himself came not “. . . to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

From the outset, C. J. Mahaney makes this disclaimer:

“I’m a proud man pursuing humility by the grace of God. I don’t write as an authority on humility; I write as a fellow pilgrim walking with you on the path set for us by our humble Savior. I can only address you with confidence in the great and gracious God who has promised to give grace to the humble . . .” (pp. 13-14).

Book Structure:

The book is easily organized into three sections. In the first section, Mahaney examines how humility is our greatest friend with all its promises and how pride is our greatest enemy with all its perils. The second section seeks to redefine success by taking a look at the Word of God and observing Christ who not only redefined greatness by His words but ultimately by the giving up of His own life for His own creation. And then finally in the third section, Mahaney gets very practical with the “How To’s” in cultivating humility and weakening pride each and every day for the glory of God.
Notable Quotes:

• “The sad fact is that none of us are immune to the logic-defying effects of pride. Though is shows up in different forms and to differing degrees, it infects us all. The real issue here is not if pride exists in your heart; it’s where pride exists and how pride is being expressed in your life. . . . Pride takes innumerable forms but has only one end: self-glorification. That’s the motive and ultimate purpose of pride—to rob God of legitimate glory and to pursue self-glorification, contending for supremacy with Him. The proud person seeks to glorify himself and not God, thereby attempting in effect to deprive God of something only He is worthy to receive” (pp.29,32).
• “Jesus alone came to give His life as a ransom for the sins of many—and this separates Him from any other sacrificial service that anyone else anywhere could ever offer. Here we find what is completely, utterly, and categorically unique about the Savior and His example. And in true humility, our own service to others is always both an effect of His unique sacrifice and the evidence of it. His sacrifice alone makes it possible for us to achieve and experience true greatness in God’s eyes” (p.48).
• “What a powerful death! The cross ransoms, the cross liberates, the cross transforms! So make it your aim and lifelong habit, when you see someone serving, to be reminded of the sacrifice of the Savior, for apart from His sacrifice there is no serving. True greatness is attained only by emulating the Savior’s example—and made possible only by the Savior’s sacrifice” (p.58).
• “Let each of us recognize every day that whatever grace we receive from God is so much more than we’re worthy of, and indescribably better than the hell we all deserve” (p.71).
• “Humility doesn’t demand mathematical precision from another’s input; humility postures itself to receive God’s grace from any avenue possible” (p.134).
• “Those who know true joy in the midst of suffering are those who recognize that, in this life, our suffering is never as great or as serious as our sins. As Jonathan Edwards wrote, ‘How far less [are] the greatest afflictions that we meet with in this world . . . than we have deserved!’ That’s a divine perspective of suffering. Regardless of the severity of suffering we experience in this life, it will always be less than what we have deserved for our sins” (p.149).
• “That, my friend, is amazing grace, simply amazing! And because of Him we can know forgiveness of sins and freedom from fear of future wrath. Because He ‘humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross,’ we can be reconciled to God and know Him as Father and no longer as Judge—and only because of His perfect humility and perfect sacrifice on the cross for our pride” (p.168).

Conclusion:

Being humble is no easy job. To be truly humble as God defines it goes against the grain of our world’s conception of humility. It is only by the work of Christ that we can become truly humble. And yes, in a sense, in this side of heaven we will never arrive to perfection. By grace we strive each day to mortify the remaining presence of pride in us, and by that same grace we plead with God to grow in us a heart akin to God’s that seeks no recognition and no fame. What a calling?!

I hope Mahaney can awaken your heart to the reality of pride and the necessity for humility as he has in me. I recommend this book whole-heartedly for any Christian who seeks to glorify God in all things.

Additional Resources:

- Listen to this free sermon by C. J. Mahaney on the subject of humility, entitled “True Greatness.”

Recently, I’ve been realizing how easy it is for one to forget the things which are so obvious.

God is holy and He hates sin. We know that.

God longs to be reconciled with His people. We know that.

God takes the initiative of saving lost and rebellious sinners. He stoops down to us. We know that.

God makes His ways known to us—He reveals Himself . . . and He has in His Creation and His written Word. We know that.

His presence is terrifying yet sweet; His Word is powerful yet gentle; His law is convicting yet delightful. We know that.

But O how so often do we forget that which is so simple and basic.

May God empower us to be effectual doers of the Word and not merely listeners of it (Jas. 1:22). Let us dig deeper into God’s revealed Word and let us always keep reminding ourselves of the basics—we are sinners in need of grace and mercy which is only found and obtained in Jesus Christ.

Do we want to see the glory of God? Are we willing to do whatever it takes to see God’s magnificent radiance on display? In Exodus we find a particular experience that Moses went through that I think stands out from among the others.

Then Moses said, ‘I pray You, show me Your glory!‘ And [God] said, ‘I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.’ But He said, ‘You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!’ Then the LORD said, ‘Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen’” (Ex. 33:18-23, emphasis mine).

This is amazing. Moses had asked to see the very glory of God and how did God respond? By saying yes. God knew that no man would be able to see His glory and survive; at seeing God’s glory, man in his complete sinfulness would not be able to behold such awesome, holy splendor. Therefore, God said He would put Moses in the cleft of a rock and cover his eyes while He passed by and let Moses gaze at His back.

The next day, when this was to occur,

“. . . Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and he took two stone tablets in his hand. The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.’ Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship” (Ex. 34:4-8, emphasis mine).

There’s so much truth in these texts that reading it alone seems overwhelming, but I do want to highlight the reaction of Moses. Moses here had asked God to see His glory and He conceded; He allowed Moses to see His back so that Moses might not die in the process. Moses’ immediate reaction is in verse eight: “Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.” What a response! His reaction at seeing God’s back was of complete humility and acknowledgment of his unworthiness to gaze upon such a glorious God.

After having spent “forty days and forty nights” (v. 2 up on Mount Sinai, Moses came down. The text says that “. . . as he was coming down . . . Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him [God]. So when Aaron [Moses' brother and priest] and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him” (v. 29-30).

Now stop and realize that this was Moses—a finite, imperfect, and sinful man who was reflecting the glory of the infinite, perfect, and righteous God on his face . . . even after he had finished being in God’s presence.

Are we, like Moses, in the presence of God sufficiently, that after leaving Him we walk into the world radiating a faint glimmer of the glory we experienced with Him? I’m not saying that we are to scare people with an angelic-like ray of light that blinds people, nor do I want to stretch this text and make it mean something weird and mystical. I also don’t mean that we’re supposed to shout to the everyone how holy we are by the amount or manner of time we spend in God’s Word in communion with Him. But I do want to make a point that our time in the Word of God should be a time where we are entranced by God’s greatness, beauty, wonder, fury, and righteousness, and that that should affect our whole being— our words, our actions, our thoughts, and our motives.

What keeps us from being so impacted by the Word? One of the biggest problems, in my opinion (which is biased but accurate), is that there is a growing plague of biblical illiteracy within the church. Plainly put, people don’t know the Bible. The frightening reality is that many people are content in their illiteracy, which seems absurd when we live in a day and age (and in a country) when knowing God’s Word couldn’t be easier to know; but more than that, God commands us again and again in Scripture to guide our lives and grow our faith by the Word itself.

Not long ago people underwent persecution in simply having the Bible in their common language (let alone studying it), yet many of us have no problem in giving the Bible a place on our book shelf read on sporadic occasions or when we feel “spiritual” or in the “holy mood.” Even today, countless Christians around the globe are reading it with fear and paranoia thinking that at any moment someone might come in and at least beat them and arrest them. Many lose their lives for their love and faithfulness to the Word.

One of the results of this biblical illiteracy in our country is that people then have no way to distinguish truth from error—no discernment. This is all too prevalent in the church today. It seems as though believers are willing to accept anything and everything that sounds or seems Christian, when in fact it might very well be contradictory to the Word. There is no discernment because there is no standard, namely, the Word of God.

Paul, in writing to the young pastor in the Ephesian church, Timothy, wrote, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15, emphasis mine). Paul saw the importance of knowing God’s Word. Timothy was to have a zealous, fervent diligence in handling the word of truth which is the Word of God itself (cf. Jn. 17:17b), knowing full well that he was accountable to God Himself. Paul, during his final days before his martyrdom, wrote to Timothy:

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6-8).

This was the closing chapter of Paul’s ministry here on earth. His death was imminent and he wanted Timothy to be steadfast and unwavering in his commitment to the preaching of the Word. Paul knew that while he was there, he would be able to mentor Timothy, but this was his final exhortation. He had passed the baton and the responsibility now fell on Timothy.

Paul exhorts him,

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:1-4, emphasis mine).

Do you see Paul’s point here? Though his life was soon coming to an end, he couldn’t leave while not making it crystal clear that Timothy was to be ready “in season” and “out of season.” (Obviously, we’re living in an “out of season” time right now in America.)

If we are to rise above the biblical illiteracy that dominates the church, we need to go back to the source so that we won’t be as “. . . children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by the craftiness in deceitful scheming . . .” (Eph. 4:14). Satan is not kicking back in his EZ chair popping out on Halloween to scare children. No! His is a continual onslaught against the universal Church of God—constantly scheming ways to discredit and confuse the church with heresy and lies. But we praise and serve a God who is faithful and omnipotent, and one day He will come again and call us home. He promised that He would build His church and that the gates of Hades will not overpower it (Mt. 16:18). That is a comforting truth that underscores the sovereignty of God over all.

Our duty while on this earth is to stand on the truth of God’s Word, know it, cherish it, obey it, and proclaim it. We are to dive into the depths of the Bible and come out with its inexhaustible riches, wanting to go back and dive even deeper than before. We are to be like Moses whose desire was to see the glory of God. He was earnest and he got it. What’s stopping us?

God has given us His Word. Let us not cast it aside and open it on Sunday mornings alone. May we be known as people who stand firm, along with Paul, knowing that whatever new popular fad is going on in the church, it will by no means deter us from our rock-solid foundation, the Word. May we be people of the Book.

SDG

Applying the Gospel to all of Life

Anxiety.

Psa 127:1 A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

Psa 127:2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Psa 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Psa 127:4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.

Psa 127:5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

I can sleep cause of your hand. You will fill my quiver. A rich legacy. Be kicking yourself for being so anxious when there is no reason to. Anxiety reveals lack of trust in God and possibly great selfish ambition. So the life lived always anxiously is a vain life. The wise know they can rest in the grace of God, unmerited by their own shortcomings. Christ has earned it all. Submit humbly to him.

Isa 35:1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;

Isa 35:2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God.

Isa 35:3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.

Isa 35:4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Isa 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

Isa 35:6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;

Isa 35:7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

Isa 35:8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

I am a fool. I will not go astray. Hallelujah for tough guardrails. My heart may feel dry, but you will make it blossom. When I look upon your glory, my own attempts melt to nothing.

Jer 17:7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.

Jer 17:8 He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Jer 17:10 “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

You know my heart, you know it’s shortcomings, it’s blatant sin. And yet I am forgiven through the person and work of Christ. You have planted me firmly, I am built on the rock. No drought can scare me.

Mat 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Mat 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Mat 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

As I serve you only, as my master, I need fear nothing, I need not be anxious about anything. I can humbly walk in peace. Anxiety characterizes those who are living for self. Test my heart, give me peace in you.

you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

Mat 10:19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.

Mat 10:20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Mat 10:21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,

Mat 10:22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

By the power of your Spirit, I will endure to the end. Not by any personal resolve, but by the Spirit that is in me. It is in my new character in Christ, in the Spirit, that I am being made more like him. By your grace, I will remain faithful. Oh that my ways may be steadfast! Fix my eyes on the cross.

Luk 10:41-42 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Like a child at your feet, may I seek that which is greatest, not being anxious about all the troubles of life, all the many things and details I could worry about, but which ultimately are in your hands. Though I am faithless, you are faithful.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Rom 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Rom 8:33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

Rom 8:34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died–more than that, who was raised–who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Rom 8:36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

Rom 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Rom 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

Rom 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus did it all. All to him I owe. I will be forever at peace, welling with joy and sweet harnessed passion because of your blood. I will behold the face of God, and am already called his son, a co-heir with Christ. Oh, reveal to me the truth of this! I want to have eyes opened even more! I don’t want to walk through life lukewarm! I want to be exuding a joy that is unmatched by joy in any other thing!

There is no area of my life that is not effected by this truth, specifically applied in any certain way. Every aspect of the Gospel is powerful. Every piece is atomic. It will have a huge impact on life, and make it so much happier than mere piety, or even than flagrant partying. Life lived in light of the Gospel has no shortcomings, cause it is under the canopy of truth, unsusceptible to rains of hopelessness or bitter fear. It is a perfect life. All imperfections in our life can be attributed to a lack of focus on the truth, a stumbling on our parts as far as gospel focus goes. But God is faithful to us even as we are faithless.

One of the biggest things I miss right now is the ability to write. All throughout this past summer, with the freedom I had, I was able to think a lot and put it on paper (or in this case, the internet). Things have slowed down a bit for me; though I know it won’t be for long. Here I go.

For a while now I’ve been realizing more facets of my constant sinful heart. The other day I was talking to a friend over lunch and I asked her how her time with God was like. After telling me what she did to commune with God, she fired at me with the same question. As a biblical studies major, and chaplain for my dorm, but more than that, as a Christian, I not only have to read the Bible, but I love the word of God—it is the overarching delight of my life. As I answered her question, I told her the truth (”I do such and such . . .”). But how easy is it for the truth to be told with evil motives and intents. I didn’t brag outwardly, but I did brag internally in my own mind.

God’s diagnosis of the human heart is not very uplifting: “The heart is deceitful than all else / And is desperately sick; / Who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9). I know my heart. And at that moment when I shared with her my daily routine, I found myself desiring to impress her with my “intimacy” and “tightness” with God. Don’t get me wrong, I love to have that time with God where I can bask in His word, confess my sins, and appropriate the gospel once more. But in that moment, my desire to share with her was skewed—it was sinful. I wanted her to see me and realize how “godly” I was.

How often do we do the right things with sinful, self-seeking motives? Though redeemed and set apart from sin, we still battle our sinful flesh. Paul himself, in Romans 7, understood this constant warring of the flesh with the spirit: “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want” (Rom. 7:19).

What is the cure for this curse? The gospel! I was hearing Jerry Bridges the other day, and he said that at one point in his life, he saw the gospel only for non-believers. He reasoned that as a saved person, one no longer has need of the gospel. He then went on to say that such thinking is ludicrous!—we desperately need the gospel every day; not only the day we were saved, but every day ’till we see our blessed Savior face to face.

The gospel is the essence of our faith where we need to daily come and bow the knee and find the cure to our constant wayward heart.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

This gospel, something for which the writer of Romans, the Apostle Paul was willing to suffer shipwreck, stoning, persecution, and flogging, is a message for which thousands have died, and millions have lived. It isn’t just some kind of cultic hidden belief that is revealed to a select few, it is powerful!

What makes the gospel great? Well, the fact that it bridges the chasm between us and God, made by our sins, and formerly uncrossable. We could never have made it to God through our own efforts.

Eph 2:1-3 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience–

among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Rom 1:18-25 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!

Thank God we weren’t left to die in our selfish wallowings! We aren’t allowed to go on chasing false baits and candies that lead us to hell! We have been made aware of our heinous sins against a holy God and have been given a path to salvation and eternal life with Christ in a new perfect world, where there will be no more sin and death! All through the blood of Christ, at whose name EVERY KNEE WILL BOW!

Here’s a beautiful summation by John Piper of what the gospel is: