Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Do not forsake the law of your mother!

by Patte Smith on Sunday, May 15, 2011 at 4:53pm
Following is an excerpt from an article by James Smith, to encourage my godly friends who are mothers & all those who have godly mothers <3<3"Do not forsake the law of your mother!"of the mother — should be the teachings of love. With these thoughts in the mind, we want to enforce the inspired admonition to the young, of the mother — is essentially the authority of love; and the — should be the child's law. The — should be the child's lesson; and the mother's is strong. Every mother therefore should endeavor to use her influence wisely, and for her child's eternal good. A very great responsibility rests upon godly mothers, which they should realize, and realizing — should act under a sense of it.  O what a privilege to have a godly mother! One who knows . . .   the power of vital piety in her own heart.  bear in mind the object of a mother's prayers, treasure up a mother's lessons, carefully attend to a mother's teaching,

Every child should . . .
  to enjoy the lawful and the profitable;
  to do the necessary and the moral;
  to avoid the sinful and the dangerous;
  to secure a saving interest in eternal felicity;
  to value what is really important and spiritual;

Such a mother will teach her child . . .

O how many young men, how many young women, have been ruined, by forsaking the law of their mother!Young man, young woman, by all the tenderness of a mother's love, by the intense concern of a mother's heart — if you would not shorten the days of her life, or embitter her dying hours, I beseech you, "Do not forsake the law of your mother!"

While you have a mother — love her, obey her, and make her heart glad.

Many forget and forsake the law of their mother, when away from her. This is unwise, it is unkind, it is ungrateful. A mother's advice . . .

   is unselfish;
  it is only for her child's good,
  it is the offspring of the deepest love, and
  often the result of the most earnest fervent prayers.

But fascinated by our companions,
deceived by an unbelieving heart,
allured by a false and vain world, and
ensnared by a
cruel and crafty devil

 — too many of our young people forsake the law of their mother! Many will wish — but wish in vain, that they never had such a mother!

It will increase their condemnation,
it will add to their torments, and
will give intensity to the bitter pangs generated by hopeless despair!
The thoughts of what their mother was, what their mother did, and how their mother tried to prevent their ruin — will make Hell ten times hotter than it would otherwise be — to many a child of godly parents.

But on the other hand, many will bless God forever for . . .
  a mother's love,
  a mother's example,
  and a mother's law.

That love — won the heart for Jesus;
that example — was a constant lesson of warning, reproof, and instruction;
and that law — constrained the soul to bow to the scepter of Jesus, and trust alone in His blessed Name.

Young friends, endeavor to realize the value of a godly mother, while you have one! Never, never, let anyone, or anything tempt you to forsake her law — lest in Hell you should bitterly and eternally regret it! But let a mother's love, a mother's example, and a mother's law lead you at once to Jesus — that you may meet your mother with joy at last, and dwell with her in Heaven forever!

The Law of Your Mother

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Message to Women & Wives

by Patte Smith on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 10:34am
Women, be sure to be a sweet comfort & encouragement to your husband, especially when God allows him to suffer affliction. You are given to your beloved as a helpmeet, to provide him succour in & through difficult times. Show him how much you love & respect him. Don't try to fix things that are your husband's responsibility.

Wait upon the Lord, knowing He is at work through your husband & the circumstances. Point your dear man to Jesus & pray. Guard your own heart against bitterness & fretting. Run to Christ with your fears & disappointments. Recognize that it is not up to you to make everything alright. The Lord will use your husband to accomplish His purposes through the challenges he is facing.

Don't be like Job's wife, who abandoned the Lord & her husband when pressure & difficulty mounted. William Plumer describes the failure of God's servant's wife to trust that the Lord was at work during their grievous trial:

"During his prosperity Job’s wife may have given some evidence of piety. If so, how must such an avowal have pierced his soul; and if not, how afflicting it must have been to behold her, whom he loved so tenderly, venting her wickedness against God? She not only manifested hatred to him whom Job adored; but she became cold and cruel to her husband....Her marriage vows and all the kindness she had received were forgotten. Her heart was unfeeling."
—William Plumer “Job’s Trials and Mercies”

It is hard for women to find their 'place' when things heat up. We often try to get our husbands to do what we *think* they should do. We may *mean* well (& our thoughts, ideas & suggestions may be wisdom) but we have to guard against trying to take over to solve the situation rather than allowing God to use our husband to work through the matter at hand. We must ask Jesus to help us know what our 'jurisdiction' is & where we are to leave the responsibility squarely where God has put it, on our husband's shoulders.

Women, let us also not only guard against vanity & worldliness, but put it to death. When a godly, spiritual man has a vain & worldly wife she will be the bane of her husband's existence. You don't want to be a bane to him, do you? No! Certainly not! You want to be a blessing to your husband!

Women, don't be jealous of the place Jesus has in your husband's heart. Rejoice! Give your husband room & bless him as he serves his King & promotes Christ's glory & advances His kingdom.

And, dear sisters, if your husband is not spiritual & thinks little or nothing of Jesus, weep bitterly. I shall weep with you. And remember, you were once unspiritual & foolish & God has been merciful to you. He raised you up to live for His glory & He has the power to do the same in the soul of your husband. But if your husband never comes to love Jesus, you have no excuse for your own lack of piety. Look to Thy Maker, Thy eternal Husband & in Him find the love & solace & living water your soul desires. Jesus is enough.

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? ♥ Amos 3:3

"So neither will God be with thee, unless thou art agreed and of one mind with God. Think not to have God with thee, unless thou art with God"

Be on guard, sisters, against courting & covenanting with a man who is not strong in his faith, for truly, if you do, you are courting disaster. Wait for a man who is your spiritual older brother, who will wash you in the Word & lead you as a servant under Messiah, the King.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?  ~ 2 Corinthians 6:14

WARNING! This is God's COMMAND to you. By no means join yourself, in courtship or marriage, to a man in whom you find reason to question his salvation. Regenerate and unregenerate persons cannot walk together, there being no harmony, agreement or fellowship between them.

Not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit!

by Patte Smith on Monday, May 2, 2011 at 10:59am

This is the Word of the LORD... 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', saith the LORD of hosts. ~ Zechariah 4:6 Let us go forth today, & every day, remembering that the Holy Spirit is the One who gives us the power & authority to overcome the world, our flesh & the devil. Trust Jesus. The battle belongs to the Lord!

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. ~ Philippians 3:3

Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts: that is...not through the multitude and strength of men, but through the Spirit of God, animating, exciting, encouraging, and strengthening them to go through the work.

Christ is the chosen of God, and exceeding dear and precious to Him; is His righteous servant, and Governor of the church, or King of saints;and who has redeemed and delivered His people from the captivity of sin, and Satan, and the law. He is the builder of His church; who has laid the foundation of it, and will bring in the headstone; and which church is built up in all generations through the conversion of sinners. And that is done, not by external force, by carnal weapons, or moral persuasion; but by the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God; and not by the power of man's free will, but by the efficacious grace of the divine Spirit. It is indeed done by power and might, but not of the creature: man. Whatever power he has to do things natural, civil, outwardly religions, and materially moral, or however in appearance, has no power to do anything spiritually good; not to think a good thought, nor do a good action, in a spiritual manner; much less to work such a work as the work of regeneration, conversion, and sanctification. He is dead in sin, and can not quicken himself. His understanding is darkened, yea, darkness itself, and he can not command light into it; his will is stubborn and obstinate, and he can not bend it, and subdue it. His heart is hard as a nether millstone, and he cannot soften it, and repent of his sins, in a truly spiritual, gracious, anti-evangelic manner. His affections are inordinate; and he is a lover of sinful pleasures, and not of God, nor of anything divine, to which his carnal mind is enmity. He cannot believe in Christ of himself; faith is not of himself, it is the gift of God, and so is repentance, and every other grace. The work of grace on the soul is expressed by a regeneration, a resurrection from the dead, a creation, and the new man, or a transformation of a man into another man; all which require almighty power to effect: regeneration is not of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God, of Jehovah the Spirit. Sanctification is called the sanctification of the Spirit, and every grace of it is a fruit of His; it is He who is the Spirit of life from Christ, that quickens men when dead in trespasses and sins, and enlightens their dark minds with spiritual light, in divine things. It is He that produces evangelical repentance in them, and faith in Christ is of His operation. It is He that begins the work of grace on the heart, and carries it on, and causes to abound in the exercise of every grace, and performs the work of faith with power. The Targum, instead of "by My Spirit", renders it "by My Word". ~ John Gill

God brings to pass His gracious purposes concerning His church, without any art or labour of man. Sometimes He makes use of His instruments, yet He needs them not. This represented the abundance of Divine grace, for the enlightening and making holy the ministers and members of the church, and which cannot be procured or prevented by any human power. The vision assures us that the good work of building the temple [a type of the Body of Christ, the church, believers, His dwelling place], should be brought to a happy end. The difficulty is represented as a great mountain. But all difficulties shall vanish, and all the objections be got over. Faith will remove mountains, and make them plains. Christ is our Zerubbabel; mountains of difficulty were in the way of His undertaking, but nothing is too hard for Him. What comes from the grace of God, may, in faith, be committed to the grace of God, for He will not forsake the work of His own hands. ~ Matthew Henry

'My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'
~ Haggai 2:5

"I will save them--not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but by the LORD their God."
~ Hosea 1:7

"Woe to the obstinate children," declares the LORD, "to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by My Spirit, heaping sin upon sin...
With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles."
~ Isaiah 30:1, 2 Chronicles 32:8

"And I will save them--not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but by the LORD their God." Hosea 1:7

'But now be strong..' declares the LORD. 'Be strong... Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with You,' declares the LORD Almighty. 'And My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear... I will shake the heavens and the earth.'
~ Haggai 2:4-5, 21

"Take the helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." ~ Ephesians 6:17 The Word is our offensive weapon. First, we must hide it in our heart & then, let us unsheathe the Word of the Lord & keep it handy to battle for life & eternity.

"Not then in great power nor in fleshly might were the things of Christ, but in power of the Spirit was Satan spoiled, and the ranks of the adverse powers fell with him; and Israel and those who aforetime served the creature rather than th...e Creator, were called to the knowledge of God through faith. But that He saved all under heaven, not by human arm, but by His own power as God Emmanuel, Hosea too protested, "I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow nor by sword nor by battle nor by chariots nor by horses nor by horsemen" Hosea 1:7. But exeeeding fittingly was this said to Zerubbabel, who was of the tribe of Judah and at, that time administered the royal seat at Jerusalem. For that he might not think that, since such glorious successes were foreannounced to him, wars would in their season have to be organized, he lifts him up from these unsound and human thoughts, and bids him be thus minded, that the force was divine, the might of Christ, who should bring such things to pass, and not human." ~ Cyril

Not by might, (of thy own), nor by power, (authority from others), but by my Spirit - the providence, authority, power, and energy of the Most High. In this way shall my temple be built; in this way shall My Church be raised and preserved. ...No secular arm, no human prudence, no earthly policy, no suits at law, shall ever be used for the founding, extension, and preservation of My Church. But the spirit of the world says, "These are all means to which as we must have recourse; otherwise the cause of God may be ruined." Satan, thou liest! ~ Adam Clarke

Not by might . but by my Spirit- ...So Zerubbabel need not be disheartened because of his weakness; for as the work is one to be effected by the living Spirit (compare Hag 2:5) of God, man's weakness is no obstacle, for God's might will perfect strength out of weakness (Ho 1:7; 2Co 12:10; Heb 11:34).

"Might and power" express human strength of every description, physical, mental, moral. Or, "might" is the strength of many (an "army," literally); "power," that of .man. God can save, "whether with many, or with them that have no power" (2Ch 14:11; compare 1Sa 14:6). So in the conversion of sinners (1Co 3:6; 2Co 10:4).
~ Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

“O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your Name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.”
~ II Chronicles 14:11

“Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few...
 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's"
~ 1 Samuel 14:6;17:47There is no restraint to the Lord - This is a fine sentiment; and where there is a promise of defense and support, the weakest, in the face of the strongest enemy, may rely on it with the utmost confidence. ~ Adam ClarkeThere is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. He is not limited to numbers, and can easily work salvation by a few as by many. It is no difficult thing to Him to save by few, nor can anything hinder Him, let the difficulties be what they will, when He has determined to deliver His people. ~ John Gillit may be that the Lord will work for us-This expression did not imply a doubt; it signified simply that the object he aimed at was not in his own power-but it depended upon God-and that he expected success neither from his own strength nor his own merit.  ~ Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible CommentaryThose can never think themselves safe who see themselves out of God's protection....Jonathan felt a Divine impulse and impression, putting him upon this bold adventure. God will direct the steps of those that acknowledge Him in all their ways, and seek to Him for direction, with full purpose of heart to follow His guidance. Sometimes we find most comfort in that which is least our own doing, and into which we have been led by the unexpected but well-observed turns of Divine providence. There was trembling in the host [the Lord's enemies]. It is called a trembling of God, signifying, not only a great trembling they could not resist, nor reason themselves out of, but that it came at once from the hand of God. He that made the heart, knows how to make it tremble. ~ Matthew HenryTherefore, weary pilgrims, let us rely upon the Spirit to make our gospel ventures fruitful, that we might not believe that it is our power, our might, or our methods which accomplish the glorious good purposes of Christ, but in true humility may we praise Him saying...'Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus, in my service to God. 'Romans 15:17

Let us not grow weary

by Patte Smith on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at 12:02pm


And let us not grow weary of doing good,
for in due season we will reap,
if we do not give up.
~ Galatians 6:9

It is often tempting to grow weary and faint when the going gets tough and there seems to be little visible fruit coming from our gospel labors. In the very least, we are often dealing with a struggle to 'relax' our service to Christ & our neighbor when things seem hard. The Geneva Study Bible note on this scripture says that this passage is written; "Against those who are generous at the beginning, but do not continue, because the harvest seems to be deferred a long time, as though the seed time and the harvest were simultaneous."  This note is a compilation of commentaries on Galatians 6:9. I have written it to encourage dear friends and co-laborers in the gospel of life and eternity, especially those who faithfully share the mercy and truth of Jesus Christ at the abortuaries. Each day they watch as infants are slain right before their eyes. They are mocked, threatened and even assaulted by the mothers and fathers who arrive to sacrifice their children. These men and women are those of whom the world is not worthy. I thank God for you! Remember, dear brethren;

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy!
~ Psalm 126:5


Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,
because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.


~ 1 Corinthians 15:58




************************


Christians sometimes become weary. There is so much opposition to the best plans for doing good; there is so much to be done; there are so many calls on their time and their charities; and there is often so much ingratitude among those whom they endeavor to benefit, that they become disheartened. Such Paul addresses, and exhorts them not to give over, but to persevere.
For in due season - At the day of judgment. Then we shall receive the full reward of all our self-denials and charities.
We shall reap, if we faint not - If we do not give over, exhausted and disheartened. It is implied here, that unless a man perseveres in doing good to the end of life, he can hope for no reward. He who becomes disheartened, and who gives over his efforts; he that is appalled by obstacles, and that faints on account of the embarrassments thrown in his way; he that pines for ease, and withdraws from the field of benevolence, shows that he has no true attachment to the cause, and that his heart has never been truly in the work of religion. He who becomes a true Christian, becomes such for eternity. He has enlisted, never to withdraw. He becomes pledged to do good and to serve God always. No obstacles are to deter, no embarrassments are to drive him from the field. With the vigor of his youth, and the wisdom and influence of his riper years; with his remaining powers when enfeebled by age; with the last pulsation of life here, and with his immortal energies in a higher world, he is to do good. For that he is to live. In that he is to die; and when he awakes in the resurrection with renovated powers, he is to awake to an everlasting service of doing good, as far as he may have opportunity, in the kingdom of God. ~ Albert Barnes

The danger of growing weary in the former arises only from the opposition to good in our own nature, or the outward hinderances we may meet with from a gainsaying and persecuting world.
In due season we shall reap - As the husbandman, in ploughing, sowing, and variously laboring in his fields, is supported by the hope of a plentiful harvest, which he cannot expect before the right and appointed time; so every follower of God may be persuaded that he shall not be permitted to pray, weep, deny himself, and live in a conformity to his Maker's will, without reaping the fruit of it in eternal glory. And although no man obtains glory because he has prayed, etc., yet none can expect glory who do not seek it in this way. This is sowing to the Spirit; and the Spirit and the grace are furnished by Christ Jesus, and by him the kingdom of heaven is opened to all believers; but only those who believe, love, and obey, shall enter into it.
~ Adam Clarke

And let us not be weary in well doing,.... This may be understood of well doing, or doing good works, which are such as are done according to the will of God, from a principle of love to Him, in faith, and in the Name and strength of Christ, and with a view to the glory of God...and wellpleasing in His sight. In doing which men should not be weary; nor are they, when their spiritual strength is renewed, and grace is in exercise, though they may meet with many things which tend to discourage and make them weary; such as change in their own circumstances, losses in the world, the ungratefulness of some, and unworthiness of others. F 
or in due time we shall reap; either in this world, sooner or later; in proper time, in God's own time, by enjoying an increase of the fruits of righteousness. For the seed sown shall spring up again; the bread that is cast on the waters will be found after many days. Such as honour the Lord with their substance shall be blessed with plenty of temporal good things, either they or theirs: or else in the other world, or at the end of this; which will be the harvest time, the reaping time, the time of enjoying eternal life.If we faint not; but continue to the end, persevere constantly in doing acts of beneficence, and patiently wait, as the husbandman does, for the precious fruits of the earth; for there must be a distance of time between sowing and reaping; men must not expect to reap as soon as they sow; and therefore should not be weary of sowing, nor impatient in waiting, though they do not see as yet the appearance of the fruits thereof; for in their season they will be seen and enjoyed.
~ John Gill

Our present time is seed time; in the other world we shall reap as we sow now. As there are two sorts of sowing, one to the flesh, and the other to the Spirit, so will the reckoning be hereafter. Those who live a carnal, sensual life, must expect no other fruit from such a course than misery and ruin. But those who, under the guidance and influences of the Holy Spirit, live a life of faith in Christ, and abound in Christian graces, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. We are all very apt to tire in duty, particularly in doing good. This we should carefully watch and guard against. Only to perseverance in well-doing is the reward promised. Here is an exhortation to all to do good in their places. We should take care to do good in our life-time, and make this the business of our lives. Especially when fresh occasions offer, and as far as our power reaches.
~ Matthew Henry

Abortion and the Duty of the Local Church & Christians

by Patte Smith on Monday, April 25, 2011 at 2:51pm

 Of the Sixth Commandment. 

What is the second inference hence?
A. That all that are guilty of this sin, have great cause to be humbled and afflicted: For it is a crying sin, Genesis 4:10. The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. Yet not to despair of mercy upon true repentance. Manasseh shed innocent blood, and yet was pardoned, upon repentance; 2 Kings 21:16.
What is the third inference hence?
A. Let all men watch against pride, passion, malice, and revenge, the sin of the heart, from which this horrid sin proceeds; Matthew 15:18-19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, &c.
What is the first inference hence?
A. That we have great cause to bless God for His protecting Law, and for human laws grounded upon His Law for the protection of our lives; Romans 13:4. For he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil.



In these commands God begins with the NEAREST concern of man, which is LIFE; Job 2:4. Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath, will he give for his life.
How far doth this commandment extend itself ? 
A. It prohibits all cruelty, and commands all help, care, and pity, so far as men’s hearts and hands can go, for the relief and preservation of others; Psalm 119:96. But Thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Doth this command respect only the outward action, or also the inward passion of the soul? 
What is the natural order of these commandments in the second table?

In John Flavel's brilliant exposition of the Shorter Catechism he explores the explicit & implicit duties & responsibilities of men drawn from the commandment "You shall not murder". I have taken the liberty to provide excerpts:

The Moral Law of God is said to be written on the 'Two Tables' containing the Ten Commandments. The first four commandments are the first "table" of the law. These commandments addressed one's obligations to worship God. The last six commandments, are considered the second table & these address our duties to our fellow men. I would like to encourage readers to insert the sin of "ABORTION" into all that is written regarding the sin of murder. And, as you read, consider how you and your fellowship of believers measure up to obedience regarding this 'nearest concern of men', the protection and preservation of the life of your neighbors, the little babies who are being slain by abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. Let us have mercy and remember: the pre-born infants are our neighbors too.

~ Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q. 69. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment? A. The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own or the life of our neighbour unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.
 Q. 68. What is required in the sixth commandment? A. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavours to preserve our own life, and the life of others. 
 Q. 67. Which is the sixth commandment? A. The sixth commandment is, [Thou shalt not kill.] 

Thomas Watson commented on the 6th commandment:

IN this commandment is A SIN FORBIDDEN, which is murder, 'Thou shalt not kill,' and A DUTY IMPLIED, which is, to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

..We must not injure another in his body. Life is the most precious thing; and God has set this commandment as a fence about it, to preserve it. He made a statute which has never to this day been repealed. 

'Whose sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.' Gen 9:6. In the old law, if a man killed another unawares, he might take sanctuary; but if he killed him willingly, though he fled to the sanctuary, the holiness of the place would not defend him. 'If a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.' Exod 21:14.

In the commandment, 'Thou shalt do no murder,' all sins are forbidden which lead to it, and are the occasions of it..

Many kill little children by medicines that cause their death.

By consenting to another's death; as Saul to the death of Stephen. 'I also was standing by and consenting unto his death.' Acts 22:20. He that gives consent is accessory to the murder.

By not hindering the death of another when in our power. Pilate knew Christ was innocent. 'I find no fault in Him,' he said, but did not hinder his death; therefore he was guilty. Washing his hands in water could not wash away the guilt of Christ's blood.

By unmercifullness. By taking away that which is necessary for the support of life...by not helping him when he is ready to perish. You may be the death of another, as well by not relieving him, as by offering him violence...How many are thus guilty of the breach of this commandment!

By not executing the law upon capital offenders. A felon having committed six murders, the judge may be said to be guilty of five of them, because he did not execute the felon for his first offence.

 What are the aggravations of this sin of murder?

To shed the blood of a near relation aggravates the murder, and dyes it of a deeper crimson.. He is not guilty of murder only, but of disobedience...and diabolical cruelty. '

To shed the blood of any righteous person aggravates the sin. Hereby justice is perverted. Such a person being innocent, is unworthy of death...He is precious to God. Psa 116:15. He is a member of Christ's body; therefore what injury is offered to him is done to God Himself. Acts 9:4.


To deter all from having their hands defiled with blood, consider what a sin murder is. It is;

(1) A God-affronting sin. It is a breach of His command, and trampling upon His royal edict. It is a wrong offered to God's image. 'In the image of God made He man.' Gen 9:6. It is tearing God's picture, and breaking in pieces the King of heaven's broad seal. Man is the temple of God. 'Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?' I Cor 6:19. The man-slayer destroys God's temple; and will God endure to be thus confronted by proud dust?

(2) It is a crying sin...The voice of blood cries to Heaven. There are three sins in Scripture which are said to cry. Oppression. Psa 12:5. Sodomy. Gen 18:21. Bloodshed. This cries so loud, that it drowns all the other cries. 'The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground.' Gen 4:10. Abel's blood had as many tongues as drops, to cry aloud for vengeance. This sin of blood lay heavy on David's conscience; though he had sinned by adultery, yet, what he cried out for most was, this crimson sin of blood. 'Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God.' Psa 51:14. Though the Lord visits for every sin, yet He will in a special manner make 'inquisition for blood.' Psa 9:12. If a beast killed a man it was to be stoned, and its flesh was not to be eaten. Exod 21:28. If God would have a beast stoned that killed a man, which had not the use of reason to restrain it, much more will he be incensed against those who, against both reason and conscience, take away the life of a man.

(3) Murder is a diabolical sin. It makes a man the devil's first born, for he was a murderer from the beginning. John 8:44.

(4) It is a cursed sin. If there be a curse for him that smites his neighbour secretly, he is doubly cursed that kills him. Deut 27:24. The first man that was born was a murderer. 'And now art thou cursed from the earth.' Gen 4:11. He was an excommunicated person, banished from the place of God's public worship. God set a mark upon bloody Cain. Gen 4:15. Some think that mark was horror of mind, which, above all sins, accompanies the sin of blood. Others think it was a continual shaking and trembling in his flesh. He carried a curse along with him.

(5) It is a wrath-procuring sin. 2 Kings 24:4. It procures temporal judgements. ..Vengeance as a bloodhound pursues the murderer. 'Bloody men shall not live out half their days.' Psa 55:23. It brings eternal judgements. It binds men over to hell...Let all impenitent murderers read their doom in Rev 21:8: 'Murderers shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.' We read of 'fire mingled with blood.' Rev 8:7. Such as have their hands full of blood must undergo the wrath of God. Here is fire mingled with blood, and this fire is inextinguishable. Mark 9:44. Time will not finish it, tears will not quench it.

The positive duty implied in the command is, that we should do all the good we can to ...others.

To communicate to the necessities of others is not left to our choice, but is an incumbent duty. 'Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good; that they be rich in good works.' I Tim 6:17, 18. This is not only a counsel, but a charge. Shall we be harder than the stones, not to obey God when he charges us to 'be rich in good works?'

God supplies our wants, and shall not we supply the wants of others? 'We could not live without mercy.' God makes every creature helpful to us: the sun to enrich us with its golden beams; the earth to yield us its increase, veins of gold, crops of corn, and store of flowers. God opens the treasury of His mercy; he feeds us every day out of the alms-basket of His providence. 'Thou openest thy hand, and satisfies the desire of every living thing.' Psa 145:16. Does God supply our wants, and shall we not minister to the wants of others? Shall we be as a sponge to suck in mercy, and not as breasts to milk it out to others?

Herein we resemble God, to be doing good to others. It is our excellence to be like God. 'Godliness is Godlikeness.' When are we more like Him than in acts of bounty and munificence? 'Thou art good, and does good.' Psa 119:68. 'Thou art good,' there is His essential goodness; and 'doest good,' there is His communicative goodness. The more helpful we are to others, the more like we are to God. We cannot be like God in omniscience, or in working miracles; but we may be like Him in doing works of mercy.

Hardheartedness to others in misery reproaches the gospel. When men's hearts are like pieces of rock...they unchristianize themselves. Unmercifullness is the sin of the heathen. 'Unmerciful.' Rom 1:31. It eclipses the glory of the gospel. Does the gospel teach uncharitableness? Does it not bid us 'draw out thy soul to the hungry'? Isa 58:10. 'These things I will that thou affirm, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works.' Tit 3:8. While you relieve not such as are in want, you walk in opposition to the gospel; you cause it to be evil spoken of, and lay it open to the lash and censure of others.

There is nothing lost by relieving the necessitous... Such as are helpful to others, shall 'find grace to help in time of need.' Such as pour out the golden oil of compassion to others, shall have the golden oil of salvation by God poured out to them; for 'a cup of cold water' they shall have 'rivers of pleasure.' God will make it up some way or other in this life. 'The liberal soul shall be made fat.' Prov 11:25. It shall be as the loaves in breaking multiplied; or, as the widow's oil, increased in pouring out.

To do good to others in necessity keeps up the credit of religion. Works of mercy adorn the gospel, as the fruit adorns the tree. When 'one light so shines that others see our good works,' it glorifies God, crowns religion, and silences the lips of gainsayers. Basil says nothing rendered the true religion more famous in the primitive times, and made more proselytes to it, than the bounty and charity of Christians.

The evil that accrues by not preserving the lives of others, and helping them in their necessities. God often sends a secret moth into their estate. 'There is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.' Prov 11:24. 'Whose stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.' Prov 21:13. 'He shall have judgement without mercy, that has shewed no mercy.' James 2:13. The rich man who denied Lazarus a crumb of bread was denied a drop of water. 'Depart from Me, ye cursed; for I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat.' Matt 15:41. .. By all this, be ready to distribute to the necessities of others. This is included in the commandment, 'Thou shalt not kill.' Not only thou shalt not destroy another's life, but thou shalt preserve it by ministering to his necessities.

It is implied that we should endeavour to preserve the souls of others: counsel them about their souls; set life and death before them; help them to heaven... If we see our neighbour's soul going astray, we should use all means to bring him back to God by repentance

Caution! Beware of Pragmatism in your church, ministry & life!

by Patte Smith on Sunday, April 24, 2011 at 5:46pm

Pragmatism: a philosophical movement or system having various forms, but generally stressing practical consequences as constituting the essential criterion in determining meaning, truth, or value.

Ten steps to becoming a "Pragmatic Church"

1. "Easy-believism" gospel.

2. Place emphasis on some "work" for salvation and not the need to recognize and approach a holy God.

3. Teach half-truths.

4. Teach that grace replaces (instead of produces) holiness.

5. Teach that love and truth are opposed and obedience is legalism or optional.

6. Use fleshly things to attract unbelievers for evangelism and teach them that carnal, worldly lifestyles are acceptable.

7. Avoid the Biblical teachings that create humility in man and exalt God.

8. Teach the means of grace are optional.

9. Be "seeker-friendly" and avoid being "offensive."

10. Place being "relatable" above "biblical accuracy."

‎"Wherever pragmatism exists in the church, there is always a corresponding de-emphasis on Christ’s sufficiency, God’s sovereignty, biblical integrity, the power of prayer, and Spirit-led ministries. The result is a man-centered ministry that attempts to accomplish divine purposes by superficial programs and human methodology rather than by the Word or the power of the Spirit..."[Pragmatism] seems predicated on the idea that artificial technique and human strategy are crucial to the church’s mission. Many appear to believe that we can capture people for Christ and the church only if our programs are imaginative enough and our sermons are persuasive enough. Therefore they bend their philosophy of ministry to suit whatever techniques seem to satisfy the most unbelievers....The error of pragmatism is that it regards methodologies that “work” as more important and more viable than those that are biblical. A pragmatist is concerned primarily with whether a given practice is expedient, not necessarily with whether it is in harmony with Scripture."
~ John MacArthur

‎"We have come to a place in time where we measure the correctness of our plans simply by their seeming to contribute to our favorite aim. We estimate the soundness of our doctrine, not from its tendency to exalt and glorify God…but entirely by the apparent facility with which it enables us to get sinners to turn from their ways."
~ Horatius Bonar


"If we do wrong and no harm comes of it, we are not thereby justified. If we did evil and good came of it, the evil would be just as evil. It is not the result of the action, but the action itself which God weighs."
~ C.H. Spurgeon

"If results are the only things that matter, then a false religion that has the desired results would be just as good as a true one. Not only that, but if results are the only things that matter, then if you could find a way to produce these results without religion, you wouldn’t need religion after all. Most important of all, if results are the only things that matter, you aren’t really worshiping God – you’re worshiping results."
~ J. Budziszewski

“God will not be honoured according to man’s fantasy, but detesteth all good intentions which are not grounded on His Word.”
~  1560 Geneva Bible notes

 "All worshipping, honoring, or service invented by the brain of man in the religion of God, without His own express commandment, is idolatry."
~  John Knox

Da lucem, Domine: Give light, O Lord.

Cleanse Thy church of its corruptions. Burn away the dross, that the pure gold may shine forth.

The One Who Does All Things Well

by Patte Smith on Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 11:11am

In providence and in grace,
in every truth of His Word,
in every lesson of His love,
in every stroke of His rod,
in every sunbeam that has shone,
in every cloud that has shaded,
in every element that has sweetened,
in every ingredient that has embittered,
in all that has been mysterious,
inscrutable,
painful,
and humiliating,
in all that He gave,
in all that He took away,
this testimony is His just due,
and this our grateful acknowledgment through time and through eternity:
"He has done all things well!"
~ Octavius Winslow

What is the Fear of the Lord? by Thomas Watson

by Patte Smith on Friday, April 22, 2011 at 10:37am

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:11

The fear of God is the sum of all true true religion. “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13 ). Fear is the leading grace, the first seed which God sows in the heart. When a Christian can say little of faith, and perhaps nothing of assurance, yet he dares not deny that he fears God (Neh. 1:11). God is so great—that the Christian is afraid of displeasing Him; and so good—that he is afraid of losing Him.It is an indispensable duty incumbent on Christians, to be fearers of God. “Fear God!” (Eccles. 5:7). “That you may fear the glorious and awesome name of the Lord your God!” (Deut. 28:58). This fear of God, is the very foundation of a saint. One can no more act as a Christian without the fear of God—than he can act as a man without reason. This holy fear is the fixed temper and complexion of the soul; this fear is not servile—but filial. There is a difference between fearing God, and being afraid of God. The godly fear God as a child does his father; the wicked are afraid of God as the prisoner is of the judge! This divine fear will appear admirable if you consider how it is mixed and interwoven with several of the graces.
1. The fear of God is mixed with LOVE (Psalm 145:19, 20)

The chaste spouse fears to displease her husband, because she loves him. There is a necessity that fear and love should be in conjunction. Love is as the sails to make swift the soul’s motion; and fear is as the ballast to keep it steady in true religion. Love will be apt to grow wanton, unless it is counter-balanced with fear.

2. The fear of God is mixed with FAITH. “By faith Noah, moved with holy fear, prepared an ark” (Hebrews 11:7).

When the soul looks either to God’s holiness, or its own sinfulness—it fears. But it is a fear mixed with faith in Christ’s merits; the soul trembles—yet trusts. Like a ship which lies at anchor, though it shakes with the wind, yet it is fixed at anchor. God in great wisdom couples these two graces of faith and fear. Fear preserves seriousness, faith preserves cheerfulness. Fear is as lead to the net—to keep a Christian from floating in presumption; and faith is as cork to the net—to keep him from sinking in despair.

3. The fear of God is mixed with PRUDENCE.

He who fears God has the serpent’s eye in the dove’s head. He foresees and avoids those rocks upon which others run. “A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 22:3). Though divine fear does not make a person cowardly—it makes him cautious.

4. The fear of God is mixed with HOPE. “The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love” (Psalm 33:18).

One would think that fear would destroy hope—but it nourishes it. Fear is to hope, as the oil to the lamp—it keeps it burning. The more we fear God’s justice—the more we may hope in His mercy. Indeed, such as have no fear of God do sometimes hope—but it is not “good hope through grace” (2 Thess. 5:26). Sinners pretend to have the “helmet of hope” (1 Thess. 5:8)—but lack the “breastplate of righteousness” (Eph. 6:14).

5. The fear of God is mixed with INDUSTRY. “Noah, moved with holy fear, prepared an ark” (Hebrews 11:7).

There is a carnal fear, which represents God as a severe Judge. This takes the soul off from duty, “I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground” (Matthew 25:25). But there is also a fear of diligence. A Christian fears—and prays; fears—and repents. Fear quickens industry. The spouse, fearing lest the bridegroom should come before she is dressed, hastens and puts on her jewels, that she may be ready to meet him. Fear causes a watchful eye—and a working hand. Fear banishes sloth out of its diocese. “The greatest labor in true religion,” says holy fear, “is far less than the least pain the damned feel in hell.”"Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and thought upon His name. "They will be Mine," says the Lord Almighty, "in the day when I make up My jewels! I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."
Malachi 3:16-18

Let us bewail the lack of the fear of God in our world. Why is it that so few fear God?

  
1. Men do not fear God—because they have not the knowledge of God. "They hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord" (Proverbs 1:29). Every sin is founded in ignorance of God. If only men knew God in His immense glory, they would be swallowed up with divine amazement. When the prophet Isaiah had a glimpse of God's glory, he was struck with holy consternation: "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty!" (Isaiah 6:6). Ignorance of God, banishes the fear of God.


2. Men do not fear God—because they presume on His mercy. God is merciful, and they do not doubt of the virtue of this sovereign balm. But who is God's mercy for? "His mercy extends to those who fear Him" (Luke 1:50). Such as do not fear God's justice—shall not taste His mercy.
Let this be "for a lamentation", that the fear of God is so vanished from our world. Why is it almost nowhere to be found? Some fear shame, others fear danger—but where is he who fears God?

Excerpted from Thomas Watson's The Great Gain of Godliness
http://trinitypastor.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/thomas-watson-what-is-the-fear-of-the-lord/
http://www.gracegems.org/Watson/religion_our_true_interest1.htm

Christ: The Love of God Displayed

by Patte Smith on Friday, April 15, 2011 at 11:06am
"I lay down My life"
~ Jesus
John 10:17

Behold the love of God the Father in giving Christ to be broken for us. It is a love without parallel. It was a far greater expression of love in God to give His Son to die for us than if He had acquitted us of the debt without any satisfaction at all. If a subject is disloyal to his sovereign, it argues more love in the king to give his own son to die for that subject than to forgive him the wrong freely...

See... infinite Love displayed.

(1) Behold the love of God the Father in giving Christ to be broken for us.  "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son," John 3:16. It is a love without parallel. It was a far greater expression of love in God to give His Son to die for us than if He had voluntarily acquitted us of the debt without any satisfaction at all. If a subject is disloyal to his sovereign, it argues more love in the king to give his own son to die for that subject than to forgive him the wrong freely...

(2) That Christ should suffer death...Christ rent off His own flesh for us. Nay, that Christ should die as the greatest sinner, having the weight of all men's sins laid upon Him, here was most transporting love! It sets all the angels in heaven wondering.

(3) That Christ should die freely. "I lay down My life," John 10:17. There was no law to enjoin Him, no force to compel Him. It is called the offering of the body of Jesus, Hebrews 10:10. What could fasten Him to the Cross but the golden link of love!

(4) That Christ should die for such as we are. What are we? Not only vanity, but enmity! When we were fighting, He was dying. When He had the weapons in our hands, then He had the spear in His side, Romans 5:8.

(5) That Christ died for us when He could not expect to be at all bettered by us... We were in such a condition that we could neither merit Christ's love nor requite (repay) it. For Christ to die for us when we were at such a low ebb was the very quintessence of love. One man will extend kindness to another as long as he is able to requite (repay) him. But if he is fallen to decay, then love begins to slacken and cool. But when we were engulfed in misery and fallen to decay, when we had lost our beauty, stained our blood, and spent our portion, then Christ died for us. O amazing love, which may swallow up all our thoughts!

(6) That Christ should not repent of His sufferings. "He shall see the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied," Isaiah 53:11. It is a metaphor that alludes to a mother who, though she has suffered greatly, does not repent of it when she sees a child brought forth. So, though Christ had hard travail upon the Cross, yet He does not repent of it, but thinks all His sufferings well-bestowed. He shall be satisfied. The Hebrew word signifies such a satiating as a man has at some sweet repast or banquet.

(7) That Christ should rather die for us than the angels that fell. They were creatures of a more noble extraction and, in all probability, might have brought greater revenues of glory to God, Yet, that Christ should pass by those golden vessels and make us clods of earth into stars of glory, O the hyperbole of Christ's love!

(8) Yet another step of Christ's love, for like the waters of the sanctuary it rises higher: that Christ's love should not cease at the hour of death! We write in our letters, "Your friend till death." But Christ wrote in another style, "Your Friend after death!" Christ died once, but loves forever. He is not testifying His affection to us. He is making the mansions ready for us, John 14:2. He is interceding for us, Hebrews 7:25. He appears in the court as the Advocate for the client. When He has finished dying, yet He has not finished loving. What a stupendous love was here! Who can meditate upon this and not be in ecstasy? Well may the apostle call it "a love that passes knowledge," Ephesians 3:19. When you see Christ broken.. think of this love.

See, then, what dear and entire affections we should bear to Christ, who gives us His body and blood..If He had had anything to part with of more worth, He would have bestowed it upon us. O let Christ lie nearest our hearts! Let Him be our Tree of Life, and let us desire no other fruit. Let Him be our morning Star, and let us rejoice in no other light ...

Christ gives Himself to believers, and what can He give more?

Sin is to be abominated since... Sin is the birthplace of our sorrows and the grave of our comforts. But that which may most of all disfigure the face of sin and make it appear abominable is this: It crucified our Lord! It made Christ veil His glory and lose His blood.

If a woman saw the sword that killed her husband, how hateful would the sight of it be to her! Do we count that sin light which made Christ's soul heavy unto death? (Mark 14:34) Did He cry out, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" And shall not those sins be forsaken by us which made Christ Himself forsaken? O let us look upon sin with indignation! .. Sin has rent the white robe of Christ's flesh and died it a crimson color. Let us, then, seek to be avenged of our sins.

Did Christ suffer who "knew no sin," and do we think it strange to suffer who know nothing but sin? ... Was the Head crowned with thorns? Must we have our bracelets and diamonds when Christ had the spear and nails ...?

He was fastened to the Cross, so He may be fasted to our hearts.

SEVEN SUPERNATURAL VIRTUES IN CHRIST'S BLOOD

That we may set the higher value upon the blood of Christ. I shall show you seven rare supernatural virtues in it:
1. It is a reconciling blood. `You that were sometime alienated, and enemies, yet now hath He reconciled through death," Colossians 1:21. Christ's blood is the blood of atonement...Sin rent us off from God; Christ's blood cements us to God...If we had wept rivers of tears, this could never have appeased an angry Deity.

2. Christ's blood is a quickening blood. [quickening: to revive; restore life"Whoso drinketh My blood, hath eternal life," John 6:54. It both begets life and prevents death. "The life of a thing is in the blood," Leviticus 17:11. Sure enough, the life of our soul is in the blood of Christ.

3. Christ's blood is a cleansing blood. "How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience!" Hebrews 9:14. As the merit of Christ's blood pacifies God, so the virtue (power) of it purifies us...It washes a crimson sinner milk white. "The blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all our sin," I John 1:7. The Word of God is a looking glass to show us our spots, and the blood of Christ is a fountain to wash them away, Zechariah 13:1.

A SOLEMN WARNING:
But this blood will not wash if it is mingled with anything. If we go to mingle anything with Christ's blood, either the merits of saints or the prayers of angels, it will not wash. Let Christ's blood be pure and unmixed, and there is no spot but it will wash away. It purged out Noah's drunkenness and Lot's incest. Indeed, there is one spot so black that Christ's blood does not wash away, and that is the sin against the Holy Ghost. Not but that there is virtue enough in Christ's blood to wash it away, but he who has sinned that sin will not be washed. He condemns Christ's blood and tramples it under foot, Hebrews 10:29.

4. Christ's blood is a softening blood. There is nothing so hard but may be softened by this blood. It will soften a stone. Water will soften the earth, but it will not soften a stone; but Christ's blood...softens a heart of stone...The heart, which before was like a piece hewn out of a rock, being steeped in Christ's blood, becomes soft and the waters of repentance flow from it.

5. Christ's blood cools the heart... It burns in lust and passion. Christ's blood allays this heart and quenches the inflammation of sin. Second, it cools the heat of conscience...Christ's blood, being sprinkled upon the conscience, cools and pacifies it.

6. Christ's blood comforts the soul... Christ's blood will cheer the heart at such a time. It is best in affliction. It cures the trembling of the heart. A conscience sprinkled with Christ's blood can, like the nightingale, sing with a thorn at its breast. The blood of Christ can make a prison become a palace. It turned the martyr's flames into beds of roses. Christ's blood gives comfort ...

7. Christ's blood procures heaven. Israel passed through the Red Sea to Canaan. So, through the red sea of Christ's blood, we enter into the heavenly Canaan. "Having boldness therefore to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," Hebrews 10:19. Our sins shut heaven; Christ's blood is the key which opens the gate of paradise for us...Well, then, may we prize the blood of Christ and, with Paul, determine to know nothing but Christ crucified, 1 Corinthians 2:2.

~ Thomas Watson

This, & much more, is why Watson concludes:

Rejecting gospel mercy is a sin of so deep a dye that God can do no less than punish it for a contempt.  

source: http://www.biblebb.com/files/TW/tw-supper.htm

A child is born! The face of abortion is the face of a child

by Patte Smith on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 4:22pm

Baby Talak


‎"I gave birth to a baby boy. He and I are doing great. I am very much happy and want to say "Very much thanks" to you for helping me out and for giving an opportunity to make me happy on this occasion. Myself and my family want to convey our hearty thanks and regards for your help on that day. I have no words except happiness filled at this moment..which is all by your and God's grace. Thank you very much."
~ Kaluna

This little one was scheduled to be executed at Orlando Women's Center abortuary. His mommy had a humble, tender heart & turned away from killing when Christians gently asked her to have compassion on the child of her womb & offered their loving help. I thank God for the caring believers who were there the day she arrived at the killing place & for Georgia Ana, who held Kaluna's hand & became her friend through the pregnancy

he killed the child. Georgia Ana loved on this dear mother gospel tract in English & Hindi. She also gave Kalpana & her husband a New Testament in Hindi. She also took Kaluna to a Hindi-speaking female ob/gyn from India for her pre-natal appointments. The day of the ultrasound to determine the sex of her baby came &, to our delight & relief, God had given Kaluna & her husband the desire of their hearts, a little boy ♥ Kaluna said:  She said her husband would only accept a boy baby :/ We prayed & prayed for God to work in her heart. We simply could not imagine waiting & then seeing Kaluna's little baby at 20 weeks My friends Deanna & Paula met Kaluna at Orlando Women's Center abortuary on August 14, 2010. Kaluna & her husband & two girls are Hindu & came to America from India. Kaluna had come to have her little one killed. Even though there was a serious language barrier, Kaluna listened to the voice of mercy & truth spoken by the caring missionaries outside the murder mill & her baby got a reprieve that day. In the weeks that followed Kaluna still spoke of killing her baby, saying;
"...so by God grace and all of you I am safe here and so is he."

 Every little child is a gift from God & we rejoice over the tender conscience & maternal instincts of the mothers who turn away from murdering their babies. Little Talak is a sweet baby boy. Whenever I see the newborn infant who was once imperiled, I cannot help but think, this the face of abortion. Real live babies. God help us to reach many more mamas like Kaluna.

Do you suffer from the sin of having a good opinion of yourself?

by Patte Smith on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 12:28pm

...there is nothing which prevents a man coming to Christ like a good opinion of himself.
~ CH Spurgeon


Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find.
~ Proverbs 20:6

 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
~ Jeremiah 17:9

God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
~ 1 Peter 5:5b

When pride comes, then comes shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
~ Proverbs 11:2

Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
~ Proverbs 16:18

A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.
~ Proverbs 29:23

Pride is the greatest sacrilege; it robs God of his glory...Oh, let us search if there is none of this leaven of pride in us. Man is naturally a proud piece of flesh; this sin runs in the blood. Our first parents fell by their pride. They aspired to deity. There are the seeds of this in the best, but the godly do not allow themselves in it. They strive to kill this weed by mortification. But certainly where this sin reigns and prevails, it cannot stand with grace.
~ Thomas Watson

I used to think, in my youth, that I was pretty good, at least compared to those around me, ahhhh, such foolishness! I praise God that He has progressively revealed to me my true nature, so that finding nothing good in myself, I can discard self in order to be filled with Him and His goodness!  
~ Angela Doty

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
~ Jeremiah 17:7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you.
~ I Peter 5:6

 Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God ...
~ Psalm 40:17

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
~ Jesus in Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11;18:14

 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.
~ James 4:10

Sooner or later such who are humbled shall be exalted. It is the usual way and method which God takes to abase the proud, and exalt the humble; for humble souls honour Him, and therefore such as honour Him He will honour; and this He does in His own time, in a time that makes most for His glory, and their good; Oftentimes He does it in this life, and always in that which is to come.
~ John Gill

God appointed the Jews to make fringes upon their garments, Nu 15:38, to remind them of their being a peculiar people; but the Pharisees made them larger than common, as if they were thereby more religious than others. Pride was the darling, reigning sin of the Pharisees, the sin that most easily beset them, and which our Lord Jesus takes all occasions to speak against... How much is all this against the spirit of Christianity! The consistent disciple of Christ is pained by being put into chief places. But who that looks around on the visible church, would think this was the spirit required? It is plain that some measure of this antichristian spirit prevails in every religious society, and in every one of our hearts.
~ Matthew Henry

Engage!

by Patte Smith on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 10:36am
Daniel 11:32

Be strong, yea, be strong;
take heart, pull up the spirits,
be of good courage, play the man;
be strong in the Lord, and in His grace,
and fear nothing .
~ John Gill

Sometimes it is absolutely amazing how the outright spiritual, looks so ordinary, for every thing has behind it one of two fathers, fights from the place of one of two kingdoms, having one of two ends. Some watch movies and are awed by the special effects. Christians are engaged in a far greater adventure and battle than fantasy could ever portray or conceive - yet it is veiled behind the ordinary. If we would but open the Word of God and allow Him to reveal to us the reality behind the veil, we would see we are indeed caught up in the most fantastic of lives, of Kingdoms, of battles, of futures, then we could ever imagine.
Be in the Word and having eyes, now see!

And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 
~ 2 Kings 6:15-17

And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And He said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when He had spoken this Word to me, I stood up trembling. Then He said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.."
When He had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to Him who stood before me, “O my Lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. How can my Lord’s servant talk with my Lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”
Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. And He said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as He spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my Lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” 
Daniel 10:10-19

Read Genesis ch 1-3
Read ch 6 of Isaiah
Read Ezekiel Ch 1-3
Read Daniel 2, 7, 9-10
Read Revelation
And so so many more than these. . .

~ Inspired & edited from a post by Rich Monson

Do not delay! Repent Today!

by Patte Smith on Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 10:29am

"A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed--without remedy."
Proverbs 29:1

“Listen to Me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness..."
Isaiah 46:12

"Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
Matthew 4:17

"So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels."
Psalm 81:12

God's extraordinary goodness is revealed through the sacrifice of His Son. There is no higher love than this, than the holy God against whom we have sinned, would offer us a way of salvation, at the cost of the suffering death of His dearly beloved Son. In Romans 1:18-32 we are given a picture of what happens when we remain thankless for the kind gifts of our Creator, neglecting the warning of conscience and rejecting the call of the gospel to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. If sinners refuse to bow their knee to the King in this life, in due time they shall pay the penalty for all of their sins against Him. Who knows when God shall lose His patience with an individual sinner and shut the way of salvation to her? It's a fearful thought, isn't it? There are no more second chances at the judgment. Sinners must be warned that if they hear His voice they should not to harden their heart. Today is the day of salvation! For we are not promised tomorrow and for them, tomorrow may be too late.


Beware then of trifling with God. Beware of continuing to provoke the Most High. He will not be mocked with impunity. The absolute sovereignty of God supplies the key, and nothing else does, to the unpardonableness of any sin. God has sovereignly assigned the limits to which He will suffer each rebellious creature to go--and that limit varies considerably ...in different cases. He has sovereignly determined when any sinner shall be finally deserted by the Holy Spirit and given over to hopeless impenitency. He has sovereignly determined when sin becomes unpardonable in the life of each transgressor. It is this which makes the subject so unspeakably solemn, for men have no means of knowing whether or not their very next act may seal their doom irrevocably. ~ A.W. Pink


The following are excerpts from the excellent gospel booklet entitled 'The Danger of Delaying Repentance' by Thomas Boston (1676-1732)

The delaying and putting off of repentance-work, is a soul-ruining course among gospel-hearers.

This is evident, if you consider:

1. It is directly opposite to the gospel-call; which is for today, not for tomorrow: “Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb 3:7,8). All the calls of the gospel require present compliance, and do not allow sinners to put off till another day. It is true, salvation-work must be deliberate work; but you are not allowed a time to deliberate whether you will come to Christ and be holy or no. It is like the call to quench fire in a house, that must presently be done, yet done deliberately, so as the work be not marred in the making. How then can it be but a soul-ruining course.

2. It is threatened with ruin. The text is very express, “So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an armed man.” And one with a thousand times more safety might venture on a sword-point, than the edge of such a divine threatening. See Proverbs 23:21 and Ecclesiastes 10:18. And this threatening has been accomplished in many, whom their slothful delays have caused to perish; as in the case of Ephraim (Hosea 13:13), and Felix (Acts 24:25). Many have been not far from the kingdom of God, who yet never came to it.

3. Whenever grace touches the heart, men see that it is so. Hence says the Psalmist, “I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments” (Psalm 119:60). When men are in earnest to get into Christ by faith, and to get back to God by repentance, they dare linger no more in the state of wrath, they flee out of it, as one fleeing for his life (Matt 3:7). Their eyes are opened to see their danger, and therefore they are presently determined.

4. It has a native tendency to soul-ruin, which inevitably overtakes them, if they do not at length break off all delays, and come away. This is evident, if ye consider,

1st, The state of sin is a state of wrath, where ruin must needs compass a man about on every hand, “He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). To have stayed in Sodom that day it was to be burnt, was dangerous; but to abide a moment in the state of wrath, is far more dangerous. Who would venture into a house that is about to fall? Who would not presently leave it? And will men venture “yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep” (Prov 24:33), in a state of enmity with God? Surely such persons know not God’s greatness, nor the worth of their own souls.

2ndly, The longer you continue in sin, your spiritual death advances the more upon you. Every sin sets you a step farther from God, is a new bar in the way of your peace with him, strengthens your natural enmity against him, and alienates you more from the life of God. And where can this natively end, but in your souls’ ruin? Ah! are we not far enough on in that way already? Why delay more, that we may go yet farther off from God?

3rdly, While you remain in this state, there is but a step betwixt you and death, which you may be carried over by a delay of ever so short a time. All that is your security in this case, so far as you can see, is the brittle thread of your life, which may be broken at a touch, and then you are ruined without remedy. So that every delay, shorter or longer, for repentance, is a venturing of eternity on that uncertain life of yours, which in a moment may be taken from you.

This lets us see,

(a) That delayers of repentance are self-destroyers, self-murderers. Well may it be said to such, “Why will ye die” (Ezek 18:31)? Should a man wilfully neglect a remedy for his disease, which puts him in hazard of his life, he could not be guiltless of his own death; more than one who being called to rise and quench the fire in house, and yet would lie still till it were consumed to ashes, would be blameless of its ruin. Self-love, that is, love of sinful self, is the source of the greatest cruelty; whereby lusts are...to the destruction of the life of the soul.

(b) By delays the interest of hell is advanced; where many are this day who had resolved to repent, but death did not wait their time, and so they were disappointed. No wonder new grounds of delay be still laid to persons’ hands, for it is Satan’s great drift to get men entangled in the wilderness, that they may not make forward to Canaan’s land. And every new entanglement sets the soul a step nearer to destruction...

(c) No wonder Satan is most busy to ply the engine of delays, when a sinner is somewhat awakened by conviction; as he did with Felix (Acts 24:25)...delays will blunt the edge of convictions, as much as a peremptory refusal. Under convictions, at a sermon, or on a sick- bed, the sinner is awakened out of his sleep; but then nothing can serve Satan’s purpose better than “yet a little sleep”; which if they get, they sleep off the edge of convictions.

(d) They are sinners’ best friends, that give them least rest in a sinful course. And whatever men think of them now, they will think so afterwards (Prov 5:11-13). Everybody loves ease, and therefore faithful preaching and dealing with souls, is a torment to those who love to be undisturbed in their rest in sin (Rev 11:10). But what suits best with our sinful inclinations, is worst for our souls, and will in the end be found so. Flattery has ruined many, when plain dealing and fair warning has brought many out of the snare.

We may lament here the case of many, nay of most, that hear the gospel. They put off their work ...so their spiritual case is going to wreck day by day...They are in a dying condition, the physician comes to their bedside, and offers them a remedy; they do not absolutely refuse it, only they put off the taking of it. In the mean time their distemper increases, and death is advancing apace. The market of free grace is opened, and they are called come and buy; they see the need to buy, yet they are not like to stir till the market be over. O madness and folly to be lamented with tears of blood! Poor slothful creature, that is yet for “a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,” there are four things you know not:

(a) You know not the worth of a precious soul, which you are throwing away...“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matt 16:26)?...

(b) You know not the excellency of precious Christ; sleep locks up your eyes that you can not see the ravishing sight (John 1:10)...Zion’s crowned King is making His progress through the city where you dwell; the cry to come out and behold Him, reaches your ears (Song 3)...The royal Bridegroom stretches forth His hand unto you, to espouse you, saying, 'Behold Me, behold Me'...The chariot of the covenant that is driving on to His Father’s house, halts at your door, and you are called out; the ship is to sail to Immanuel’s land, you are called to come aboard; but yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, and all is lost.

(c) You know not the worth of precious time. The apostle will have time redeemed (Eph 5:16); but you squander it away, as a thing of no value: and working time is turned by you into sleeping time. Precious moments slip away, and you regard not ...O unhappy soul, who “knowest not in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace!”

(d) You know not the weight of the wrath of God. It is true none can have a full comprehension of it, “Who knoweth the power of thine anger” (Psalm 90:11)? But all the elect of God get such a notion of it, as rouses them up to fly from it, “knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (II Cor 5:11). And if you had tolerable apprehensions of it, it would break off your sleep and slumber, and cause you to put forth your hands to work. Did you consider what “a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God,”?

There are three things you do not observe.

First, You do not observe what speed your ruin is making, while you lie at ease; how your “judgment lingereth not, and thy damnation slumbereth not” (II Peter 2:3). The avenger of blood is pursuing you, though you are not fleeing from the wrath to come. You are like a man sleeping in a leaky ship, which is drawing water every moment, and within a little it will be full, and sink to the bottom of the sea, if he do not awake and help it. Every hour your debt is growing, the cup of wrath is filling, and fills so much the faster, as you are secure.

Secondly, You do not observe how near your destruction may be. You are like the old world, who “were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away” (Matt 24:38,39). Your spiritual lethargy and dead sleep hinders you from hearing the sound of the feet of the approaching stroke. You lie open to the most terrible surprise, to sleep the sleep of death, which you may never awake out of till in hell (Luke 12:19,20; 16:23).

Thirdly, You do not observe how utterly unable you are to ward off the blow when it comes: “The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites; who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings” (Isa 33:14). “Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it” (Ezek 22:14). Can worm man stand before almighty God, whose patience may be worn out ere you awake? And if mercy and patience quit ... justice will succeed ...and then there shall be no more sleeping, nor ease for ever.

Who has assured you, that ever you shall see the age you speak of? ...And therefore, since you know not but you may die young, repent while you are young.

God commands you to repent presently, and therefore it is on the peril of your soul, that you venture to delay a moment longer.Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb 3:7,8). .. A sinful youth will at length make a sad soul. You know not how soon God may be provoked against you to cut you off, if you delay.

 Wisely said; return then to-day, for it may be you shall die tomorrow.

The longer you delay, the work will be the harder. For sin becomes stronger, as the waters, the farther from the head, the greater they grow. It is observed...“Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil” (Jer 13:23). Their number increases; the devil who comes alone at first, at length his name is Legion. The heart grows harder, the mind blinder, the will more perverse, the affections more carnal.

A moment’s delay may be an eternal loss, because you know not any moment that may not be your last.

God commands you to repent presently (Heb 4:7). Therefore upon your peril it is, if you delay any more.

I See Love

by Patte Smith on Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 11:15pm

I See Love

Some see a Teacher
Standing on a hill
Speaking words of wisdom
Some see a Healer
Reaching out His hand
To give sight to a blind man
Some see a dreamer
Wasting His life
On what can never be
Some see a fool
Dying for His dreams

But I see love
I see love
Light of heaven breaking through
I see grace
I see God's face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see You
I see love

Some see a prisoner
Alone before His judge
With no one to defend Him
Some see a victim
Beaten and abused
With all the world against Him
Some see a martyr
Carrying His Cross
For what He believes
Some see a hero
Who set His people free

But I see love
I see love
Light of heaven breaking through
I see grace
I see God's face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see You


With Your last breath
I see love
Through Your death
I see love
I see peace in the eyes of the King
I see hope in your suffering
I see a calm in the center of the storm
I see a Saviour

I see love
I see love
Light of heaven breaking through
I see grace
I see God's face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see You
I see love
When I see You
I see heaven breaking through
See Gods face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see You
I see love

~ by Third Day

Preach the Gospel. Use WORDS.

by Patte Smith on Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 11:57am

Preach the gospel & yes folks, using WORDS IS necessary.

In fact Jesus said: "GO... and PROCLAIM (this means OUT LOUD) as you GO, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 10:6,7

Peter preached (OUT LOUD) saying: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38

And again Peter preached OUT LOUD: "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Christ" Acts 3:19-20

So, when someone comes out with some new fangled idea or 'event' or 'movement' which calls for INHIBITING THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL ... RUN! Run for your life! Why? Because that is suppressing the truth in unrighteousness, that's why! Accept no glamorous or cool substitute over the revealed instructive commands of Jesus Christ. When you GO to the lost, don't settle for anything less (or other) than LAW & GRACE OF GOSPEL WORDS. Mark my words, God will bring many opportunities for loving deeds when there is true gospel proclamation. Never forsake or suppress the preaching of the mercy and truth of the gospel.

Neither saints nor sinner can hear silence.

"Faith comes by HEARING & HEARING comes by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17)

Got it?

And if you don't understand the gospel and recognize that you have not learned to articulate it, go to seasoned BIBLICAL gospel sharers and follow them around. Pass out tracts while they preach. Listen. Pray. Study the Word. Ask good questions. That's the Jesus' model of becoming a disciple & equipping yourself for works of ministry. Also, listen to Hell's Best Kept Secret:
http://www.livingwaters.com/learn/hellsbestkeptsecret.htm

TWICE.

Use the study notes.

Got it?

But, please, PLEASE do not invent some hip, cool, new way of 'outreach' & do not follow or promote anyone who does. The gospel of life & eternity is enough.

Got it?

You will always find plenty of counterfeit religious activities out there which substitute spiritual sounding things for the biblically mandated things. When you do, don't be fooled. Run! Run for your life!

We don't need a new kind of Christianity. The old kind, instituted by Jesus Christ and propagated by His disciples, works just fine. ~ Daniel Beaudoin

Mistakes about the Love of God

by Patte Smith on Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 5:18pm

We mistakenly look for tokens of God’s love in happiness. We should instead look for them in His faithful and persistent work to conform us to Christ.
If we want proof of God’s love for us, then we must look first at the Cross where God offered up His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Calvary is the one objective, absolute, irrefutable proof of God’s love.
God’s unfailing love for us is an objective fact affirmed over and over in the Scriptures. It is true whether we believe it or not. Our doubts do not destroy God’s love, nor does our faith create it. It originates in the very nature of God, who is love, and it flows to us through our union with His beloved Son.
 ~ Jerry Bridges




Down through the years God’s love has shined through misery, tears, and sin like a shaft of sunlight on a dark day. We see God’s love in His revelation, in His mercy, in His patience, and in His redemption. We see the love of God as the infinite One becomes an infant in Bethlehem’s manger. We see it in His life and ministry. And most of all we see it as He hangs on the cross, dying for our sins.
~ George Sweeting


"He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all; how shall He not with Him freely give us all things" (Romans 8:32)? How is it imaginable that God should withhold, after this, spirituals or temporals, from His people? How shall He not call them effectually, justify them freely, sanctify them thoroughly, and glorify them eternally? How shall He not clothe them, feed them, protect and deliver them? Surely if He would not spare His own Son one stroke, one tear, one groan, one sigh, one circumstance of misery, it can never be imagined that ever He should, after this, deny or withhold from His people, for whose sakes all this was suffered, any mercies, any comforts, any privilege, spiritual or temporal, which is good for them.
~ John Flavel

‎How you view God determines the quality and style of your Christian experience. Many Christians spend much of their lives paralyzed because, although they have trusted Christ as Saviour, they have never really seen what His sacrifice teaches us about the character of God. He gave His Son; He sent His Son; He “handed over” His Son because He loves us.
~ Sinclair Ferguson

John's point in 1 John 4, "God is love," is that those who really do know God come to love that way too. Doubtless we do not do it very well, but aren't Christians supposed to love the unlovable - even our enemies? Because the Gospel has transformed us, our love is to be self-originating, not elicited by the loveliness of the loved. For that is the way it is with God. He loves because love is one of His perfections, in perfect harmony with all His other perfection
~ D.A. Carson

We must learn to see our circumstances through God’s love, and not God’s love through our circumstances. ~ Author Unknown

The pure, mere love of God is that alone from which sinners are justly to expect that no sin will pass unpunished, but that His love will visit them with every calamity and distress that can help to break and purify the bestial heart of man and awaken in him true repentance and conversion to God. It is love alone in the holy Deity that will allow no peace to the wicked, nor ever cease its judgments till every sinner is forced to confess that it is good for him that he has been in trouble, and thankfully own that not the wrath but the love of God has plucked out that right eye, cut off that right band, which he ought to have done but would not do for himself and his own salvation.
~ William Law