Worthwhile Quotes
Simple assent to the gospel, divorced from a transforming commitment to the living Christ, is by Biblical standards less than faith, and less than saving, and to elicit only assent of this kind would be to secure only false conversions. –J.I. Packer
Worthwhile Quotes
Every man is a missionary, now and forever, for good or for evil, whether he intends or designs it or not. He may be a blot radiating his dark influence outward to the very circumference of society, or he may be a blessing spreading benediction over the length and breadth of the world. But a blank he cannot be: there are no moral blanks; there are no neutral characters. –Thomas Chalmers
Just a thought…
Remember the same verse that says “all liars will have their part in the lake of fire” also says that the cowardly will meet the same fate. When did you last share the gospel with the lost? Can’t remember? Don’t want to because your scared? Then you have a problem that may be more serious than you think.
Living Waters University, Anthony and friend
Posted by karsten in Video Teaching on January 25th, 2010
Obey Your Heavenly Father
Posted by karsten in Grace Gems on January 23rd, 2010
Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Romans 3:31
When the believer is adopted into the Lord’s family, his relationship to old Adam and the law ceases at once; but then he is under a new rule and a new covenant. Believer, you are God’s child; it is your first duty to obey your heavenly Father.
A servile spirit you have nothing to do with: You are not a slave but a child. And now, inasmuch as you are a beloved child, you are bound to obey your Father’s faintest wish, the least intimation of His will. Does He bid you fulfill a sacred ordinance? It is at your peril that you neglect it, for you will be disobeying your Father.
Does He command you to seek the image of Jesus? Is it not your joy to do so? Does Jesus tell you, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”? 1 Then not because the law commands, but because your Savior enjoins, you will labor to be perfect in holiness. Does He bid his saints to love one another? Do it, not because the law says, “Love your neighbor,” but because Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” 3
And this is the commandment that He has given unto you, “that you love one another.” Are you told to distribute to the poor? Do it, not because charity is a burden that you dare not shirk, but because Jesus teaches, “Give to him that asks of you.” Does the Word say, “Love God with all your heart”? Look at the commandment and reply, “Ah, commandment, Christ has fulfilled you already. I have no need, therefore, to fulfill you for my salvation, but I rejoice to yield obedience to you because God is my Father now, and He has a claim upon me, which I would not dispute.”
May the Holy Ghost make your heart obedient to the constraining power of Christ’s love, that your prayer may be, “I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” 3 Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin.
Sickened By The Ugliness Of Their Own Sinfulness
Posted by karsten in Video Teaching on January 21st, 2010
Spiritual beauty
Posted by karsten in Grace Gems on January 20th, 2010
“Worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth!” Psalm 96:9
“Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.” Psalm 90:17
Paul enjoins that, “whatsoever things are lovely” shall be in the vision of life, into which we aim to fashion our character.
We are to follow in the footsteps of our Master. Jesus Himself was, “Altogether lovely!” Song of Songs 5:16
Humanity was made to be beautiful. God’s ideal for man was spotless loveliness—man was made at first, in God’s image. But sin has left its foul trail everywhere! We see something of its debasement, wherever we go. What ruins sin has wrought!
All of Christ’s work of grace—is towards the restoration of beauty of the Lord in His people.
Spiritual beauty is holiness. Nothing unclean is lovely. Character is Christ-like, only when it is beautiful.
All the precepts of the Bible are towards the fashioning of beauty in every redeemed life. We are to put away . . .
all that is sinful,
all marring,
every blot and blemish,
every unholy desire, feeling and affection,
everything that would defile—
and put on whatsoever is lovely and Christ-like.
The one great work of Christ in Christian lives—is the fashioning of holiness in them. We are to grow away from . . .
our deformities,
our faults,
our infirmities,
our poor dwarfed stunted life
—into spiritual beauty!
The mark set before us is the likeness of Christ, which, at last, we shall attain! “We know that when He appears—we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is! And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself—just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3
J. R. Miller
Our conception of Christian living
Posted by karsten in Grace Gems on January 17th, 2010
True religion is intensely practical. Only so far as it dominates one’s life–is it real. We must get the commandments out of God’s Word–and give them a place in the hard, dusty paths of our earthly toil and struggle. We must get them off the tables of stone–and have them written on the walls of our own hearts! We must bring the Golden Rule–into our daily, actual life.
We are too apt to imagine, that holiness consists in mere good feeling toward God. It does not! It consists in obedience in heart and life to the divine requirements. To be holy is, first, to be set apart for God and devoted to God’s service, and it necessarily follows that we must live for God.
Our hands are God’s–and can fitly be used only in doing His work; our feet are God’s–and may be employed only in walking in His ways and running His errands; our lips are God’s–and should speak words only that honor Him and bless others; our hearts are God’s–and must not be profaned by thoughts and affections that are not pure.
True holiness is no vague sentiment–it is intensely practical. It is nothing less than the bringing of every thought and feeling and act–into obedience to Christ! We are quite in danger of leaving out the element of obedience, in our conception of Christian living. If we do this, our religion loses its strength and grandeur–and becomes weak, nerveless and forceless.
Our religion must touch every part of our life–and transform it all into the beauty of holiness.
J. R. Miller, “Being Christians on Weekdays” 1888 (Amazing… 1888… this is not a new problem at all)
Worthwhile Quotes
God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshippers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose.
John Piper
Worthwhile Quotes
Let this encourage those of you who belong to Christ: the storm may be tempestuous, but it is only temporary. The clouds that are temporarily rolling over your head will pass, and then you will have fair weather, an eternal sunshine of glory. Can you not watch with Christ for one hour?
-William Gurnall
Worthwhile Quotes
The key to the missionary’s work is the authority of Jesus Christ, not the needs of the lost. We are inclined to look on our Lord as one who assists us in our endeavors for God. Yet our Lord places Himself as the absolute sovereign and supreme Lord over His disciples. He does not say that the lost will never be saved if we don’t go— He simply says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . .” He says, “Go on the basis of the revealed truth of My sovereignty, teaching and preaching out of your living experience of Me.”
Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
Ask The Lawman (Asking People To Accept Jesus)
Posted by karsten in Video Teaching on January 11th, 2010