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20 June, 2014

Christ our Teacher


By Octavious Winslow, 1863

"Surely, I am with you always — even unto the end of the world!" Matthew 28:20
Christ is with His people — as a Teacher. There exists no office of Christ that is not openly impugned and denied in the present day — and not one more so than His prophetic office. False teaching everywhere and alarmingly abounds. 

The teaching of men is exalted above the teaching of Christ, and, as a consequence, Infidelity and Popery are rife, and the people are following after the false prophet and the beast. This is a day in which the Lord's true people must exhibit their loyalty to Christ in His prophetic office — as the sole, divine, authorized Teacher of the Church. To Him, as our Teacher — must we only look; and His teaching — must we only follow. There is no safety but at Christ's feet! We must accept no doctrine, and observe no practice — but what comports with the teaching, example, and simplicity of His Word. If true and faithful disciples — to Christ, we must closely and exclusively adhere. We have but one master, Christ; to Him we stand or fall.

Beware, in religious sentiments, of the fascination and influence of ecclesiastical authority, cultivated intellect, and polished teachers: all this is of man, and partakes of the errors and sinfulness of man. Untaught by the Holy Spirit, and unsanctified by God's grace — we have seen the most brilliant and eminent gifts prove, but as decoy lights — glimmering along the bleak, fatal shores of Infidelity and Romanism — alluring, and then wrecking, upon the rocks, quicksands, and shoals — the too confiding, unsuspecting mind, "handling the word of God deceitfully."

Oh, be Christ's true disciple — loyal to His person, and faithful to His truth! It is the Word of Christ which quickens you, sanctifies you, comforts you. Nor can you part with one doctrine of Christ, without inflicting the most serious injury upon your soul, and shading His glory. "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom." 

The more experimentally you know of Christ's truth, and the more simply you walk in Christ's truth — the holier and the happier will you be. Oh, how increasingly glorious to your eye and precious to your heart, will Christ become! You will more and more clearly see, that all truth centers in Christ, and that Christ is the substance of all truth; that to know Christ — is to know the truth; and to know the truth — is to be freed from the blinding influence, erroneous teaching, and boasted authority of man. Blessed Jesus! O Divine Prophet of Your Church! "Happy are Your men, happy are these Your servants, who stand continually before You, and that hear Your wisdom."

Christ must be our wisdom in the midst of ignorance. He must be our Teacher, for He can teach without any man at all. "Who is a teacher like Him!" Job 36:22


19 June, 2014

The Service of Passionate Devotion—I Beg of You To Consider Your Ways!





Oswald Chambers Devotion for today is a very important piece that anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian should look into with great humility of the heart and a willingness to change as per the leading of the Spirit.

First off, Oswald seems to be unsympathetic to the discipleship and service process. At times, he even sounds harsh when he said things like “Today we have substituted doctrinal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many people are devoted to causes and so few are devoted to Jesus Christ. People do not really want to be devoted to Jesus, but only to the cause He started. Jesus Christ is deeply offensive to the educated minds of today, to those who only want Him to be their Friend, and who are unwilling to accept Him in any other way.

But, the reality is that Oswald is right. Unless you learn to love Him first, unless you make sure that your life is led by the spirit and unless you become the very fragrance of the crucified Christ, then you will be devoted to the service instead of Him.

What I mean by becoming the fragrance of the crucified one is that you have been walking with Him so much that you have been transformed internally and on the inside, He is having His way so much in you, like the Potter and the clay. You become shaped in your mind, your spiritual eyes opened; your heart is wholly devoted to Him, His way and His will, that you become saturated. This is not a vague idea that I am sharing here. Think about it. You find people who drink so much that you can smell the booze from their skin, even when they are not drunk. While this seems like a basic example, but God’s idea of Salvation and Christ’s idea of being a servant and a disciple at the same time, all hinges on the same idea. The strange thing is, the idea that I am sharing permeates the Bible and Christ was a perfect picture of what I just said.

When we learn to be true clay in His hands, we abide until we merge and become one with Him and until we learn to cultivate the childlike mind we miss out on the whole idea of the Christian life. While Oswald might sound harsh, but the reality is, when you know God intimately, He changes the priorities as they are set in your mind and suddenly you realize it is not about anything or anyone else unless it is about Him. Suddenly, going to make disciples of the nations take a backseat. This does not mean it is not a priority or that you do not care, but you have your priorities shaped spirituality, by Him.

Here is the beauty of it all, when Christ comes first, through a passionate and devoted heart to His person, you are on cloud 9 to begin with, knowing how His power can do so much for these people and any time He wants to. You stop seeing yourself so important like if you do not go, there is no one else. So, yes, the need is pressing and it is overwhelming. Souls are perishing and the harvest is ripe. But none of it matters if He does not come first. None of it matters if He is not leading according to His plan. We undermine God, we belittle Him, we play down His power and we underestimate His plan for these people too.

As you learn to see the God of the universe for who He is, then everything falls into place as He is given the honor and the proper place in what we do and how we do it. If God has ever given you a peak behind the veil so that you can see people out there building empires in His name, yet they themselves are saved by the skin of their teeth. In the meantime, a simple Joe walking according to His will have a bigger impact, with people around him or her. Furthermore, when you die, this simple Joe will occupy a much bigger place than this big mogul Christian who seems to hit all the right notes. If you could see that, you would make His priority your number one priority. Because, dear brothers and sisters, it is not about pleasing people, it is not about the numbers, it is not even about going overseas to get involved in missions but it is about becoming more than a fan of His.

You know what is sad in all this? There are way too many so called Christians out there, devoted to His cause and what’s in it for them, yet they do not have a clue that’s where they are at, because they are spiritually blind. Like this extended family member that I shared about three days ago. This person is so educated, so involved in mission and community justice like Christ was, you would compare both of us and put me out in the trash while giving a humanitarian award to this person. Unless you are a spiritually minded Christian, you cannot know or see the difference with the eyes of your heart. Too many of us are praying for a gift that benefits us instead of praying the spirit to open up the eyes of our hearts so that can be more compliant people.

 At the end of the day, all the Church attendance, Bible verses we memorized, the Bible study that we have been attending for years and years, while never knowing what it means to grow spiritually, and all the sentimentality we hold dear in our hearts will not help us. It is about learning to ACCEPT Him His way, and on His terms. I beg of you to consider your ways and consider all the hoopla you are doing in His name. Can you truly say you have engaged the heart of this gigantic God? Are you truly one with Him? Are you walking in the Spirit? Are you abiding until He is merges with you as one? Are these things elusive to you after years of Christianity under your belt?  I beg of you, consider your ways!

Having had the eyes of my heart opened by Him a few years ago, I can tell you there is pain to get to the place where we can see the riches of His glory which is also our inheritance. But, it is not that simple.  It goes beyond, to a place where you too you experience His resurrection and you can see His glory through His eyes. But, you can’t experience the glory of His resurrection without experiencing His death in your soul. But it’s so worth it.  

Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,

I love you all

M. J

18 June, 2014

Thomas Watson choice quotes on Scripture



Puritan Thomas Watson 

The lines of Scripture are more valuable than mines of gold! 
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

God's Word is the star which directs us to Heaven!
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Scripture is the field where "the Pearl of great price" is hidden.
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Scriptures are the richest jewels that Christ has left. 
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Word is so full of goodness, justice, and sanctity, that it could be breathed from none but God. 
It bears His very image. 
It has no errata in it. 
It is a beam of the Sun of Righteousness. 
It is a crystal stream, flowing from the Fountain of Life.
It commends to us whatever is "just, lovely, and noble." 
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

This "sword of the Spirit" cuts down vice!
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Out of this tower of Scripture — is thrown down a millstone upon the head of sin!   ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Scripture is the Royal Law, which commands not only the actions — but the affections
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Where is such holiness to be found — as is dug from this Sacred Mine? Who could be its author — but God Himself?
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

God's Word is the judge of controversies — and the rock of infallibility! 
All truth must be brought to the touchstone of Scripture.  
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

This blessed Book will fill the head with knowledge — and the heart with grace! 
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

God wrote the two tables with His own fingers. 
If God took pains to write — well may we take pains to read!

  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Scripture is a rock of diamonds — a chain of pearls adorning the Christian, and glorifying God. 
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Scriptures are profitable for all things. 
Is the believer cast down? Here are "comforts to delight the soul!" 
Is he assaulted by Satan? Here is "the sword of the Spirit" to resist him. 
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Scripture is the chart, by which the believer sails to eternity!
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Scripture is the Christian's Sundial, by which he sets his life!
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Scripture is the Christian's Balance, in which he weighs his actions!
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Scripture is the Christian's Map, by which he daily walks!

17 June, 2014

The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things



Hello all,

I have taken excerpts from the long sermon by pastor Black. I am very sad today because I found out that one of my extended family members fit so neatly in this sermon. The blindness, the ignorance, the stubbornness, the hardness of the heart, is simply unbelievable and I feel so powerless

Times like that, I am grateful to God for keeping me down and that He seems to have forgotten about me through the waiting process. I know first hand, if I was not kept down by Him, this could have been me too. Please keep me and this family member is your prayers and I will keep you in mine too. Even if we are far from each other, in different countries and continents the truth and the beauty of it all, is that we are united in Him.



"The heart is deceitful above all things, 
and desperately wicked." Jeremiah 17:9



(David Black, 1762-1806, was pastor in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 1794 until his death..")
1) The deceitfulness of the heart is evident from men's general ignorance of their own character.

There is not anything in the history of mankind more surprising, or at first view more unaccountable, than the self-partiality which prevails in the world. One would be apt to imagine, that it should not be so difficult to arrive at the knowledge of our real character, possessing, as we do, every possible advantage for attaining it.

Here then, is one striking evidence of the deceitfulness of the heart. It produces ignorance of ourselves; it keeps men strangers to their own character; and makes them fatally presume that they are in friendship with God, while they are enemies to him in their minds and by wicked works.

2) The deceitfulness of the heart appears from men's general disposition on all occasions to justify their own conduct.

.Because they are not chargeable with single determinate acts of gross wickedness, because you cannot precisely point out to them, in so many words, wherein they have done amiss, they falsely conclude, that their conduct is unexceptionable; though, perhaps, their general temper and behavior may be uniformly wrong, inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel, and contrary to the plainest dictates of morality. I proceed to observe,
3) That the deceitfulness of the heart appears from the difficulty with which men are brought to acknowledge their faults, even when conscious that they have done wrong.
But through the deceitfulness of the heart, men are generally disposed to justify their own conduct, and ready to throw the blame of what is amiss on anything else, "sooner than on themselves.

4) The deceitfulness of the heart appears from the disposition which men discover to rest in mere notions and forms of religion, while they are destitute of its power.
Hypocrisy in all its forms and appearances flows from the deceitfulness of the heart; for in general men deceive themselves, before they attempt to deceive others. Few are so bold as to lay down a plan of imposing on the world, without endeavoring, in the first instance at least, to impose on their own minds. Nor is it difficult, when the mind is strongly biased by the love of any particular sin, or the pursuit of any particular interest, to persuade ourselves that our conduct is, at least, excusable, if not innocent. A dishonest mind is satisfied with the basest shifts and evasions! And people who wish to be deceived into a good opinion of their conduct, are seldom at a loss to accomplish their purpose.

5) That the deceitfulness of the heart appears in the highest degree, when men overlook the real motives of their conduct, and mistake the workings of their own corruptions, "for the fruits of the Spirit of God.

In Conclusion:
Let us consider our conduct, not in the light in which self-love and self-partiality would present it to our minds, but in the light in which any impartial spectator would view it, in the light in which God's word teaches us to consider it, and in the light in which it will be judged of at last, when God shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of all hearts.

We are all more or less liable to self-deceit; and those who think they have the least of it, are in general most of all under its dominion. Let us therefore distrust our own judgment, and, sensible of our own ignorance and liableness to mistake, let us pray to God for his divine teaching; saying, with Elihu in the book of job, 'That which I see not, teach me'; and with the Psalmist, 'Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

16 June, 2014

None of Self and All of Thee—Will You Lay Down Your Life?



"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Luke 9:23-24


Today I was reading Oswald Chambers devotion and once again, for the gazillion times I was reminded by the Spirit that it is a life where you lay down the self daily, then, you learn to lay it down moment by moment.

Oswald is right in his assessment of us when he recorded It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God.”  When we get to do things for God, we do not have to feel the pain of being who we are. We get lost in working for Him because it gives us a sense of control in our lives. More than that, choosing to work for Him instead of laying this life down, helps us make sense of the natural life and takes away the chaos and uncertainty that the supernatural takes us through. I feel the need to say chaos because God does not tell us each step of the way what He is doing. As we wait, we wait some more, then a little bit more, again some more, yet, still nothing. As a human being, it is hard to take and hard to live out. So, all the feelings that the waiting process and the uncertainty bring to our lives cause chaos in the mind.

The past two weeks, I have been in some sort of tiring mood and it bothered me because I knew I had no business feeling the way I was feeling. I have been walking with God long enough to know if this kind of mood is not dealt with right away, you get yourself into a spiritual depression and before you know it, your devotion time, prayer time with God and everything of this spiritual life suffer as the heart grows cold toward Him. So, even before I finished reading Oswald Chamber’s devotion, I was convicted and I knew I had to get back to the same attitude that I know so well, in Him

When you are a child of God, this attitude can be found literally in the blink of an eye as you switch your brain’s gears. Instantly, you find rest. When you switch gears, it feels as if you were carrying a load off your back, but now you no longer have it, as if it suddenly disappeared.

But, the Spirit took it a step further to show me that the load that I felt I was carrying was made up of things such as: self-pity for myself because all my hopes seem to be fading away and my failure is made so big right in my face. I have also been having some issues with impatience through the waiting process,after all, I have been waiting only eight years, no biggiebut you can see the kind of thinking process and disposition that plagued me the past two weeks.  So, the spirit showed me, even though I did not raise a finger to do work outside His will in order to avoid laying down my life, I still can move away and do the next thing that comes easier instead of laying down the life as He asked of us.

So, yes, for the past two weeks or so, I can truly say that I forgot to lay down my life daily. Every time the Spirit teaches me something, I am the first one amazed at how this self-life can creep up on us, so easily without even being noticed. I am also amazed at the 1001 ways we have to occupy ourselves in order to avoid laying down our lives. The worst thing is that I thought I dealt with self-pity in my life and I put it away for good. So when the Spirit showed me that self-pity was one of my heavy load, all I could say was “how did that get there?” Once more I was confronted with my being nothing, unless I am in Him. Without Him, I can’t do anything right

But, I know He is not finished with me, in fact, this journey that I have been on for the past eight years has only showed me this Christian life has just began.
Like T. Monod said, we start with,

All of self—and none of Thee.
move to ‘Some of self—and some of Thee.’
thenLess of self—and more of Thee.’ Until we get to
Grant me now my soul’s desire,
None of self—and all of Thee.’



Will You Lay Down Your Life?

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. . . . I have called you friends . . . —John15:13, 15

Today’s Devotion June 16: for Oswald Chambers

14 June, 2014

I bequeath my pastor's soul to the devil




I bequeath my pastor's soul to the devil

Puritan Thomas Brooks 

"Covetousness, which is idolatry." Colossians 3:5

Covetousness is explicit idolatry.

Covetousness is the darling sin of our nation. 

This leprosy has infected all sorts and ranks of men.

Covetousness being idolatry, and the root of all evil,
is highly provoking to God.

Whatever a man loves most and best—that is his god. 
The covetous man looks upon the riches of the world 
as his heaven—his happiness—his great all
  His heart is most upon the world,
  his thoughts are most upon the world,
  his affections are most upon the world,
  his discourse is most about the world. 

He who has his mind taken up with the world, and 
chiefly delighted with the world's music—he has also 
his tongue tuned to the same key, and takes his joy 
and comfort in speaking of nothing else but the world 
and worldly things. If the world is in the heart—it will 
break out at the lips. A worldly-minded man speaks 
of nothing but worldly things. "They are of the world, 
therefore they speak of the world," John 4:5. The love 
of this world oils the tongue for worldly discourses, 
and makes men . . .
  forget God,
  neglect Christ,
  despise holiness,
  forfeit heaven.

Ah! the time, the thoughts, the strength, the efforts, 
which are spent upon the world, and the things of the 
world; while sinners' souls lie a-bleeding, and eternity 
is hastening upon them! 

I have read of a greedy banker, who was always best 
when he was most in talking of money and the world. 
Being near his death, he was much pressed to make 
his will. Finally he dictates:

First, I bequeath my own soul to the devil
for being so greedy for the muck of this world!

Secondly, I bequeath my wife's soul to the devil
for persuading me to this worldly course of life.

Thirdly, I bequeath my pastor's soul to the devil—because he did not show me the danger I lived in, 
nor reprove me for it.

"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and
 a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that
 plunge men into ruin and destruction." 1 Timothy 6:9

13 June, 2014

Idleness In A Chritian's Life



What is it that leads to all other sins? 

IDLENESS

"I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one lacking sense. I saw that it was overgrown with thorns. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber." Proverbs 24:30-34. This, too, is fine painting—the late riser, the lover of sleep, the drowsy drone, lifting up his half-opened lids weighed down with sleep, grumbling at the person who has disturbed him, turning away from him on his bed; and settling himself down again to slumber. And then the broken fence left without repair, the thorns and nettles covering the field and choking the vineyard. How true to life. "Only fools idle away their time." Proverbs 12:11. "And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle." 1 Thes. 5:14
Idleness is a complicated vice. Yes, I say VICE!
First it is a most wasteful vice. It wastes time, which is more precious than rubies; it wastes a man's mental faculties; it wastes property.
Idleness is a disgraceful vice. How reproachful is it in a being made to be active, to spend life in doing nothing, and to throw away his mental powers in sloth.
Idleness is a criminal vice. God has commanded us to be active, and will call us to account for the sin of killing time.
Idleness is a dangerous vice. Doing nothing is next to doing evil, and is sure to lead to it. From its very inaction it ultimately becomes the active cause of all evil. "The Devil tempts all men; but the idle man tempts the Devil."
Idleness is a wretched vice. An idle man is the most miserable of all God's creatures. Woe be to the man who is doomed to bear the pain and penalties of a slothful disposition.


12 June, 2014

No Two Conversions are Precisely Alike In Details- Spurgeon





To you this picture will not make sense, but to me there is great significance. Forget the fact that this is a woman and forget her ethnicity and try to put yourself there you will have a perfect picture of what your spiritual life is about. God is constantly showing me my life on this earth and the spiritual life that I live with Him. My spiritual being is always identical to me except that the “me” in the flesh is always at the bottom and the spiritual one is higher.  The spiritual “me” is never a colored picture or image whatever you want to call it. There is beauty, knowledge, peace and something that transcends this life in the other “me” that I always enjoy and feel privileged when God decides to let me have  a peak of my spiritual being.  The Spiritual life that God calls us to, is truly beautiful and possible and should be aspired to at any cost. With that in mind, here is the post for today!

True Conversion


Spurgeon, IS CONVERSION NECESSARY?

The Spirit calls men to Jesus in diverse ways-

Some are drawn so gently that they scarcely
know when the drawing began, and others are
so suddenly affected, that their conversion
stands out with noonday clearness.

Perhaps no two conversions are precisely alike in detail-
the means, the modes, the manifestations, all vary greatly.
As our minds are not all cast in the same mold,
it may so happen that the truth which affects one
is powerless upon another; the style of address which
influences your friend may be offensive to yourself.
"The wind blows where it will."

Yet in all true conversions there are points of essential agreement-
there must be in all a penitent confession of sin,
and a looking to Jesus for the forgiveness of it,
and there must also be a real change of heart such as
shall affect the entire life thereafter.

Where these essential points are not found,
there is no genuine conversion.

Where there is true faith, there is the new birth, and that
implies a change beyond measure, complete, and radical.

Any man who is united to Christ has experienced a great change.

This change is a thorough and sweeping one, and operates upon
the nature, heart, and life of the convert.

There must be a divine work, making us new creatures,
and causing all things to become new with us,
or we shall die in our sins.

Our condition before God,
our moral tone,
our nature,
our state of mind,
are made by conversion totally different from what they were before.

In a word, if we are in Christ Jesus we are new creatures;
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

In conversion, infidels become believers,
Roman Catholics forsake their priests,
harlots become chaste,
drunkards leave their cups,
and, what is equally remarkable, Pharisees leave
their self-righteous pride, and come as 'sinners' to Jesus.

Conversion may be known by the fact that it changes the whole man.

It changes the 'principle' upon which he lives-
he once lived for self, now he lives for God.
He once did right because he was afraid of punishment
if he did wrong, but now he shuns evil because he hates it.
He once did right because he hoped to merit heaven,
but now no such selfish motive sways him- he knows that he
is saved, and he now does right out of gratitude to God.

His 'objects in life' are changed-
he once lived for gain, or worldly honor;
now he lives for the glory of God.

His 'comforts' are changed-
the pleasures of the world and sin are nothing to him now,
he finds comfort in the love of God shed abroad in his heart.

His 'desires' are changed-
that which he once panted and pined for,
he is now content to do without.
And that which he once despised, he now longs after
as the deer pants after the water brooks.

His 'fears' are different-
he fears man no more, but fears his God.

His 'hopes' are also altered-
his expectations fly beyond the stars.

The man has begun a new life.

A convert once said-
"Either the world is altered or else I am."

Everything seems new.

Beloved hearers, may we all meet in heaven.
But to meet in heaven we must all be converted,
for inside yonder gates of pearl none can enter
but those who are new creatures in Christ Jesus ou
r Lord.
God bless you, for Christ's sake. Amen.

11 June, 2014

HEARTLESS WORSHIP - Spurgeon



HEARTLESS WORSHIP

by Spurgeon

'Soul' worship is the soul of worship, and if you take away
the soul from the worship, you have killed the worship--
it becomes dead and barren henceforth.

There are 'professors' in this world who are perfectly content if
they have gone through the 'mechanical part of public devotion'.

If they have occupied their seats, joined in the hymns and the
prayers, and listened to the preaching, they go away quite
content and easy. They would not like to be absent from the
solemn assembly, and their conscience would prick them if they
neglected the outward ordinances, but having gone through
them, and complied with the accustomed 'form', they are
perfectly content with themselves, and think they have done that
which is lawful and right, lovely and excellent.

Now, it is never so with the true child of God.

If his soul is awakened from the torpor of death, and his
sensibilities quickened into the vigor of life, he will feel
that unless in the song he has really 'praised' God in strains
of gratitude with emotions of thankfulness, he has rather
mocked his heavenly Father than acceptably adored him.

He knows that 'prayer', if it is not the soul that speaks with God,
is but the carcass of prayer, destitute alike of the sweet savor
which can find acceptance with God, and of the sweet
satisfaction that can bring refreshment to one's own breast.

When he 'hears the word preached', he longs to feel it penetrate
his heart, even as the rain soaks into the soil. And if he cannot so
receive the truth of the gospel when it breaks on his ear as the
engrafted word that saves his soul, and so feed upon it as the
bread of life which nourishes his soul, he goes away sad at heart,
deploring that, while others were feasting at the banquet, he was
there without appetite, and had not the pleasure or the profit
which they derived.

Beloved, in our public services we ought to account nothing
truly and rightly done which is not done with the heart.

If the soul is there, in the full exercise of its powers and
passions, I believe God is gracious to pity and forgive a
thousand mistakes in outward fashion and skill of execution.

If it is 'heartless' worship it is unacceptable.
God cannot receive it.

If we have not thrown our heart into it, depend upon it-
God will never take it to his heart and be pleased with it.

Only that prayer which comes from
our heart can get to God's heart.

If we pray only from the lips, or from the throat, and not
low down from the very affections of our nature, we shall
never reach the affections of our Father who is in heaven.

With every kind of religious exercise, the 'soul'
is the standard of the whole compass of worship.

09 June, 2014

Growth in Grace — Part 8


Excerpts from the book by Thomas Watson: Body of Divinity


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"But grow in grace." 2 Peter 3:18



True grace is progressive—of a spreading and growing nature. It is with grace as with light; first, there is the daybreak; then it shines brighter to the full meridian. A good Christian is like the crocodile—which continues to grow as long as it lives. The saints are not only compared to stars for their light—but to trees for their growth. Isa 61:3, and Hos 14:5. A good Christian is not like Hezekiah's sun, which went backwards, nor Joshua's sun that stood still—but is always advancing in holiness, and increasing with the increase of God.

In how many ways may a Christian be said to grow in grace?
(1.) He grows in the exercise of grace. His lamp is burning and shining; therefore we read of a living hope. I Pet 1:1. Here is the activity of grace. The church prays for the blowing of the Spirit, that her spices (that is—her graces) might flow forth. Cant 4:16.

(2.) A Christian grows in the degree of grace. He goes from strength to strength, from one degree of grace to another. Psalm 84:7. A saint goes from faith to faith. Rom 1:17. His love abounds more and more. Phil 1:9.

What is the right manner of a Christian's growth?
(1.) It is to grow less in one's own eyes. "I am a worm, and no man." Psalm 22:6. The sight of his corruption and ignorance, makes a Christian grow into a dislike of himself; he vanishes in his own eyes. Job abhorred himself in the dust. Job 42:6. It is good to grow out of conceit with one's self.

(2.) The right manner of growth is to grow proportionately, to grow in one grace as well as another. 2 Pet 1:5. To grow in knowledge—but not meekness, brotherly love, or good works—is not the right growth. A thing may swell and not grow; a man may be swelled with knowledge—yet may have no spiritual growth. The right manner of growth is uniform, growing in one grace as well as another. As the beauty of the body consists in a symmetry of parts, in which not only the head grows—but the arms and legs. Just so, spiritual growth is most beautiful, when there is symmetry and proportion, and every grace thrives.

(3.) The right manner of growth is, when a Christian has grace suitable to his several employments and occasions. When corruptions are strong—and he has grace able to give check to them. When burdens are heavy—and he has patience able to bear them. When temptations are fierce—and he has faith able to resist them. Then grace grows in the right manner.

Whence is it, that true grace must grow?
(1.) It is proper for grace to grow; it is an enduring seed, the seed of God. I John 3:9. It is the nature of seed to grow: grace does not lie in the heart, as a stone in the earth—but as seed in the earth, which will spring up, first the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear.

(2.) Grace must grow—from its sweetness and excellence. He who has grace is never weary of it—but would have more. The delight he has in it causes thirst. Grace is the image of God, and a Christian thinks he can never be enough like God. Grace instills peace; a Christian, therefore, strives to grow in grace, that he may grow in peace.

(3.) Grace must grow—from a believer's ingrafting into Christ. He who is a scion, ingrafted into this noble, generous stock, cannot but grow. Christ is so full of sap, and vivifying influence, that he makes all who are grafted into him, grow fruitful. "From me is your fruit found."


What MOTIVES or INCENTIVES are there to make us grow in grace?
(1.) Growth is the end of the ordinances. Why does a man lay out cost on ground, fertilize and water it—but that it may grow? The sincere milk of the word is given, that we may grow thereby. 1 Pet 2:2. The table of the Lord is on purpose for our spiritual nourishment and increase of grace.

(2.) The growth of grace—is the best evidence of the truth of it. Things that have no life will not grow: a picture will not grow, a stake in the hedge will not grow; but a plant that has a vegetative life grows. The growing of grace shows it to be alive in the soul.

(3.) Growth in grace is the beauty of a Christian. The more a child grows, the more it comes to its maturity, and looks more ruddy. Just so, the more a Christian grows in grace, the more he comes to his spiritual maturity, and looks fairer. Abraham's faith was beautiful when in its infancy—but at last it grew so vigorous and eminent, that God himself was in love with it, and crowned Abraham with this honor, to be the "father of the faithful."

(4.) The more we grow in grace—the more glory we bring to God. God's glory is more worth than the salvation of all men's souls. This should be our design—to raise the trophies of God's glory; and how can we better do it, than by growing in grace? "Hereby is my Father glorified—if you bring forth much fruit." Though the least grain of grace will bring salvation to us—yet it will not bring so much glory to God. "Filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are to the praise of his glory." It commends the skill of the farmer—when his plants grow and thrive; it is a praise and honor to God—when we thrive in grace.

(5.) The more we grow in grace—the more will God love us. Is it not that which we pray for? The more growth, the more God will love us...... to be continued