Prayer of Faith

"It is the highest expression of faith to submit to the sovereignty of God. The real prayer of faith is the prayer that trusts God no matter whether the answer is yes or no." R.C. Sproul

The Heart of Herod in Everyman

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.” ~ Matthew 2:16

“Here is opened the mystery of iniquity, which lay brooding in the heart of Herod, all the while he put on the apparent regard he proposed to shew to the new born king.  But, can the imagination form an idea so horrid, as that of the destruction of such a number of little harmless children, in order to be sure of the One? Alas! What is the human heart in a state of unredeemed nature! But, reader, be not offended. Your heart, my heart, every man’s heart by nature is the same. And we read this account of Herod to little profit, if we do not see in him the portrait of every son and daughter of Adam by the fall. For there can be no difference in the same nature, but what sovereign grace hath wrought. What one man’s nature hath done, every man’s nature is capable of doing; yea, and would do if the same corresponding causes, temptations, and opportunities led to it, and grace did not restrain.  Oh! Who shall calculate, who shall tell, to what a desperate state of wickedness the whole nature of man is fallen, by the original apostasy of our first father? Reader, do you believe this? I do from my very heart. And I bless God the Holy Ghost for the merciful discovery. For never should I have known the want of salvation, neither rightly valued that salvation, but for this divine teaching. Never should I have loved thee, or wouldest thou have been so endeared to my soul, blessed, precious Lord Jesus, as thou now art, had not God the Holy Ghost, as thou didst promise concerning him, convinced me of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.”  

Hawker, Robert. The Poor Man's New Testament Commentary. Vol. 1. Birmingham: Solid Ground Christian Books, 1815. 17-18. 3 vols. Print.

Hindrances to Faithfulness With God in Their Generation

“They ought carefully to consider the temptations which are prevalent, and which unavoidably we are exposed to. Every age and time has its especial temptations; and it is the will of God that the church should be exercised with them and by them. And it would be easy to manifest, that the darkness and ignorance of men, in not discerning the especial temptations of the age in which they have lived, or neglecting of them, have been always the great causes and means of the apostasy of the church. By this means has superstition prevailed in one age, and profaneness in another; as false and noxious opinions in a third. Now, there is nothing that God requires more strictly of us, than that we should be watchful against present prevalent temptations; and he charges us with guilt where we are not so. And those which are not awake with respect to those temptations which are at this day prevalent in the world are far enough from walking well-pleasing before God.”

Owen, John. An Exposition of Hebrews 8:6-13. Wherein, the nature and differences between the Old and New Covenants is discovered. Palmdale, CA: Reformed Baptist Academic Press, 2005. 225. Print.

Faithfulness With God in Their Generation

“They ought carefully to consider the times and seasons that are passing over them.  God brings his church under a variety of seasons; and in them all requires especial duties from them, as those in which he will be glorified in each of them.  If they miss it in this, it is that which God greatly blames and complains of.  Faithfulness with God in their generation, that is, in the especial duties of the times and seasons in which they lived, is that which Noah, and Daniel, and other holy men, are commended for.  Thus there are seasons of the great abounding of wickedness in the world; seasons of great apostasy from truth and holiness; seasons of judgment and of mercy, of persecution and tranquility.  In all these, and the like, God requires especial duties of the church; on what his glory in them does much depend. If they fail here, if they are not faithful to their especial duty, God in his word finds fault with them, and lays them under blame.  And as much wisdom is required to this, so I do not judge that any church can discharge its duty in any competent measure without due consideration of it.  For in a due observation of the times and seasons, and an application of ourselves to the duties of them, consists the testimony which we are to give to God and the gospel in our generation.  That church which considers not its especial duty in the days in which we live, is fast asleep; and it may be doubted whether, when it is awaked, it will find oil in its vessel or no.”

Owen, John. An Exposition of Hebrews 8:6-13. Wherein, the nature and differences between the Old and New Covenants is discovered. Palmdale, CA: Reformed Baptist Academic Press, 2005. 224-225. Print.

 

What a Wondrous Day that will be

"How often, Christians, have your hearts been made to burn with love and gratitude, and admiration, and joy, while Christ has opened to you the Scriptures, and caused you to know a little of that love which passeth knowledge! How often has one transient glimpse of the light of God's countenance turned your night into day, banished your sorrows, supported you under heavy afflictions, and caused you to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory!"

 

 

"Oh, then, what must it be to escape forever from error, and ignorance, and darkness, and sin, into the region of bright, unclouded, eternal day; to see your God and Redeemer, face to face; continually to contemplate, with immortal strength, glories so dazzling bright, that one moment's view of them would now, like a stream of lightening, turn your frail bodies into dust; to see the eternal volume of the divine counsels, the mighty map of the divine mind; unfold to your eager, piercing gaze; to explore the heights and depths, the lengths and breadths of the Redeemer's love, and still to see new wonders, glories and beauties pouring upon your minds, in constant, endless succession, calling forth new songs of praise; -songs in which you will unite, not, as now, with mortal companions and mortal voices, but with the innumerable choir of angels, with the countless myriads of the redeemed, all shouting with a voice like the voice of many waters, "Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!"

 

 

Payson, Edward. Legacy of a Legend. Vestavia Hills: Solid Ground Christian Books, 2001. 103-04. Print.

Unto the Praise of His Glory

^“ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” ~ Ephesians 1:3-14

     

“Ephesians 1:3-14 recounts in exalted language the saving work of God in Christ from his electing purpose and the forgiveness of sins to the gift of the Spirit.  God’s salvation, is not, however, his ultimate work.  Three times Paul explains that the redemptive benefits are for the praise of the glories of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:6,12,14). God chooses, redeems, and sanctifies so that he will be honored for his grace.” ~ Thomas Schreiner

Schreiner, Thomas. New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008. 146. Print.

Presumptuous vs. Genuine Faith

"Presumptuous faith does not proceed in the right method; it rashly imagines that the salvation promised in the gospel belongs to itself; but this is either upon no foundation, or upon a false one.”

“ For sometimes these persons, without any trial or self-examination, which they avoid as too troublesome, and inconvenient to their affairs, foolishly flattering themselves, proudly lay claim to the grace of our Lord; and securely slumber in this vain dream, without either enquiring, or being willing to enquire, what foundation they have for this their imagination.  Sometimes again they lay for a foundation of their confidence, either that perverse notion concerning the general mercy of God, and easy way to heaven, of which nothing that I know of is mentioned in the gospel covenant, or an opinion of the sufficiency of their own holiness, because they are not so very vicious as the most profligate, or the external communion of the church in religious worship, or the security of their sleeping conscience, and the pleasing fancies of their own dreams, which they take for the peace of God and the consolation of the Holy Spirit. With these and the like vanities of their own imagination they deceive themselves, as if these were sufficient marks of grace. “

“But true believers, from a deep sense of their misery, panting after the grace of the Lord Jesus, and laying hold of it with a trembling humility, dare not boast of it as already theirs, till, after a diligent scrutiny,  they have found certain and infallible evidences of grace in themselves.  It is with a profound humility, a kind of sacred dread, and a sincere self-denial, that they approach, to lay hold on the grace of Christ.  Nor do they boast of having laid hold of this, till after an exact examination, first of the marks of grace, and then of their own hearts.  But it is otherwise in both these respects with presumptuous persons, who rashly lay hold on what is offered them in that order, (for God does not offer security and joy to sinners, before the soul is affected with sorrow for the guilt of his past sins, and a due solicitude about salvation,) and then presumptuously, boast of their laid hold on grace; but they cannot produce any necessary arguments to make the same appear.”

“A living faith impresses on the soul, in such deep characters, the image of what is right and good, that it accounts nothing more lovely than to endeavour after it to the utmost of its power; it paints in such lively colours, the most shiny holiness of the Lord Christ, that while the soul beholds it with the supreme affection, it is transformed into its image (2 Corinthians 3:18) it so pathetically represents the love of a dying Christ, that the believer accounts nothing dearer than in return, both to love and to die to him (Galatians 2:20) the meditations of the promised happiness is so deeply engraved on his mind, that he is ready, for the sake of it, to try all things, to bear all things ( Corinthians 4:16-18) and thus it purifies the heart itself, (Acts 15:9) in order to the practice of a sinner and constant piety.”

Witsius, Herman. The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man. Vol. 1. Grand Rapdis: Reformation Heritage Books, 2010. 386- 389 vols 2 print.