J.C. Ryle Holiness

One thing essential to growth in grace is diligence in the use of private means of grace. By these I understand such means as a man must use by himself alone, and no one can use for him. I include under this head…

1.  private prayer,
2. private reading of the Scriptures,
3. private meditation and self-examination.

The man who does not take pains about these three things must never expect to grow. Here are the roots of true Christianity. Wrong here, and a man is wrong all the way through.

Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny

Salvation happens through the scripture!

Sanctification happens through the scripture!

Hope of glory happens through the scripture!

Understanding of sound doctrine happens through the scripture!

The knowledge of scripture make you an effective evangelist and disciple!

Everything happens through the word of God

and that’s a beautiful thing!
Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

There may be circumstances in your earthly lot which at this moment are peculiarly trying. You look around and wonder how this or that circumstance will terminate. At present it looks very dark – clouds and mists hang over it, and you fear lest these clouds may break, not in showers upon your head, but burst forth in the lightning flash and the thunder stroke! But all things are put in subjection under Christ’s feet! That which you dread cannot take place except by His sovereign will – nor can it move any further except by His supreme disposal. Then make yourself quiet. He will not allow you to be harmed. That frowning providence shall only execute His sovereign purposes, and it shall be among those all things which, according to His promise, shall work together for your good. None of our trials come upon us by chance! They are all appointed in weight and measure – are all designed to fulfill a certain end. And however painful they may at present be, yet they are intended for your good. When the trial comes upon you, what a help it would be for you if you could view it thus, “This trial is sent for my good. It does not spring out of the dust. The Lord Himself is the supreme disposer of it. It is very painful to bear; but let me believe that He has appointed me this peculiar trial, along with every other circumstance. He will bring about His own will therein, and either remove the trial, or give me patience under it, and submission to it.” (J.C. Philpot The Subjection of All Things Under the Feet of Jesus.)

and that’s a beautiful thing!
Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny

Now this from Dan Phillips via his twitter account.

“I’m not into doctrine. I just love Jesus.” “Really? Tell me about Jesus — without using any doctrine”

What is love? Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures!

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3

and that’s a beautiful thing!
Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny

We’ve gone through the story in years past, but in connection with the book, I want to reiterate it one more time to you. The opening chapter of Jonah is set in the midst of an intense storm, a really intense storm. Modern meteorology has documented the development of tropical cyclones in the Mediterranean Sea, which is where this takes place. A violent tempest, we know from meteorological records, can reach an excess of 90 miles per hour–that is hurricane level and even beyond that–and create surging waves as a result of those kinds of horrible, terrifying winds. And this is the kind of storm that one might assume was going on in Jonah’s story.

God is the Creator of all of us. We have sinned against our Creator. Wrath and judgment has been pronounced upon us. But we have been given the gospel, which offers us forgiveness through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You really see the gospel in the heart of God in the story of Jonah. The Creator God, sinned against, warns about judgment and fully forgives those who repent and embrace Him.

and that’s a beautiful thing!
Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny

“All true Christian preaching
is expository preaching.”

and that’s a beautiful thing!
Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny

He Saved us

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7

I can’t seem to get this out of my mind, that God saved me, but just maybe there was a chance that I could have canceled out my salvation by exercising my free will and refusing His grace through the work of His Son.

No! The word says “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44

Look what Paul says in Titus…

1. He saved us not on the basis of deeds done in righteousness.
2. But according to His mercy He washed us by the renewing of the Holy Spirit.
3. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
4. So that being justified by His grace.
5. We would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This is all the work of God regenerating me by the Holy Spirit and giving me faith to believe.

and that’s a beautiful thing!
Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny

To bring God’s Word to bear on these vital issues, Grace to You is hosting the Strange Fire conference this October. Starting today, we will post a new Strange Fire media blog every Tuesday leading up to the conference. The purpose of these video and audio clips is to provide biblical answers to important questions about the worship and work of the Holy Spirit, the doctrinal dangers of the charismatic movement, and how these matters influence and impact your spiritual growth…

“Charismatics have spent the last hundred years establishing falsehoods about the Spirit and pushing back all efforts at correction by labeling those who question their teaching as unloving, unkind, divisive, and intolerant. The castigation of those who criticize their dishonoring views on the Holy Spirit has, in effect, silenced the church by intimidation. As a result, the Holy Spirit continues to be mocked, monetized, and blasphemed. … Having an errant view of the Holy Spirit takes the entire paradigm of our sanctification and corrupts it. Certainly this is not a matter that can be deemed off limits to biblical discernment for the sake of false unity.” ~ John MacArthur, GTY Letter, 6/15/12.

Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny

How Great Thou Art

In Honor of George Beverly Shea who died Tuesday at the age of 104

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, My God, how great thou art!

and that’s a beautiful thing!
Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny

I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.

The primary purpose of Paul’s not taking full advantage of his Christian liberty was that [he] might win the more. He deeply believed that “he who is wise wins souls” (Prov. 11:30) and was willing to do anything and to sacrifice anything to win people to Jesus Christ. As far as his rights were concerned he was free from all men, but because of his love for all men he would gladly limit those rights for their sakes. He had, figuratively, become a slave to all. He would modify his habits, his preferences, his entire lifestyle if any of those things caused someone to stumble, to be offended, or to be hindered from faith in the Lord.

We remove the offense, but we preach the truth

and that’s a beautiful thing!
Soli Deo Gloria
Lenny