Why Is It Important to Know How God Converts the Human Soul?

The Real Christmas Story (Johnny Mac)

The Problem with Gratitude as Motivation (John Piper)

JESUS CHRIST IS EVERYTHING!!!

AS THE HOUR DRAWS NEAR/LETTER FROM THE GRAVE

As The Hour Draws Near
written by c. njoroge, a. coughlin & s. linne

(Evangel)

Chorus 1

As the hour draws near to take my last breath
I’m not quite sure how much time I have left
I’m walking the path of all the strugglers who died
And I’m in fear of what awaits me on the other side (repeat)

Verse 1
Who knew that I’d be shook up
as I look up to the heavens and see it’s near with I.V.s hooked up?
Like secrets it was nice to be kept by Christ
Now every night’s a deep sweat from a life of regrets
The thrill is gone- was faith real? Not fake like silicon?
Frontin like it’s “Ok” like Lil’ Jon- was spilling sobs
My will was drawn to this common façade
Lord, now I repent for each dent in Your armor of God
Knowing this: it’s Your name that we defraud
Without holiness, no one shall see the Lord
My heart I can’t mask from You- don’t wanna be a part of Your massacre
Please don’t stop my cardiovascular
I hope I repped C-H-R-I-S-T
And sported Him so good I could win an Espy like Wayne Gretsky
Lord put my heart at ease, please before I decrease my BP
And they’re saying “Clear! I need Cc’s!
I think I’m losing him!” Because I’m bruised from sin within
And don’t think I’ll see Your New Jerusalem
You’re just, Lord- I need to be assured
I’m unsure and insecure that where sin abounds Your grace did much more
I need to get confidence believing Your promises
Of Jesus’ accomplishments, not help from the drug store
Because mostly my reputation was count the world as defecation
Yet I proceed with trepidation

Refrain 1

Sin was strong and my deadliest foe
Steady wrong- am I ready to go?
I pray to God because it’s hard to accept- my heart’s heavy, you know
I’m not sure if I’m ready to go
Although You had promised I would live again
For believing in Jesus I’m forgiven yet I’m shivering from hidden sin
Because in the back of my mind, I knew I struggled as my past time
Now I’m scared to… flatline

(Ant)

Chorus 2
As the hour draws near to take my last breath
I’m not quite sure how much time I have left
I’m walking the path of all my brothers who died
And I’m prepared for what awaits me on the other side (repeat)

Verse 2
Life was quick, but these last breaths seem the longest
I’m on the brink of entering everything that You promised
My heart skips thinking of what I’ll be in a moment
This joy is undeniably precious fruit of atonement
I cry tears of happiness because looking back
I see the track that You sovereignly mapped for me- I see immaculate(ly)
The cross of Christ, His awesome price and Your grace that carried me
I persevered in shadows of brothers who marked the path for me
In just a few breaths I’ll walk into a marriage feast
And taste of Your goodness without getting a cavity
Your majesty will light up the city that we’ll inhabit
And the Lamb will be the lamp in the middle- there’ll be no P.M.
I tremble at the fact that I’ll be captured
By the blazing glory of the One that I’ve been waiting to see and I’ll see Him
To see His face and worship perpetually won’t be boring
Because this flesh won’t be a hitch anymore- I’ll be restored
To new morning after morning- and cause You bled
Death I’ll leave here on this hospital bed
And step into the presence of the Bridegroom in heaven
No more valleys to tread or trek through
or leaven to fight against- all things will be made new
No struggling to pray, we’ll sing of Your glory with angels
I’m eager to go- I know I’m a part of Your kingdom
Upon Christ’s deeds I’ll see bliss when the beep comes

Refrain 2
My life was long and I’m ready to go
I stood strong and I’m ready to go
I can’t wait to sing along with the throng up in heaven, you know
It’s where I belong- I’m ready to go
My sneakers are worn down hard from running this marathon in the trenches
Was far from pretending, pressed on with repentance
So now it’s time for me to pass the baton
And at long last, I’ll pass on into heaven

(shai)

Chorus 3

As the hour draws near to take my last breath
I’m not quite sure how much time I have left
I’m walking the path of all the others who died
And I don’t care what awaits me on the other side (repeat)

Verse 3

In a hospital bed, blood clots in my head
Body chock full of meds and I got to be fed
through a tube- I’m comatose, wet food- aroma’s gross
Pursued lewd moods as a refuge- overdose
Frantic seizure, life empty, scary demanded leisure
Anesthesia, temporary amnesia
I’m found in this predicament surrounded by significant
others, my mother- it’s crowded and I’m listening
I hear a person’s voice that I don’t recognize
praying for me- It must be a reverend and his lies
Nurse checking in my eyes- ain’t getting no replies
If she knew I heard everything, I bet she’d be surprised
My family’s upsetting me with cries, what they crying for?
If I could speak, I’d ask the reverend what he lying for?
He said something about believing in the Lord
That’s ridiculous- we all know that Jesus was a fraud
Atheism is logical, blind faith is comical
Seven-day creation and Satan are mythological
The Bible’s full of statements made by men
Who were shaken- too scared to face the end
The reverend said, “Don’t be hostile to the gospel- choose it”
The only gospel I like is gospel music
He said if I understood him take my finger and wiggle one
But if I could have I would have gave him the middle one

Refrain 3

Because he’s wrong and I’m ready to go
Son, I’m strong, yo I’m ready to go
If it’s on then it’s on- bring it on
I’m ready to go, let’s get it on son, I’m ready to go
I’m anticipating hitting the essence
I’ll crash through the gate in minutes or seconds
His antics are fake so I’m dissin’ the reverend
My last action- shaking my fist at the heavens!

Letter from the Grave
written by s. linne

Scene 1

Shaking my fist at the heavens- my lifetime pastime
But now no more natural light shines- flat line
Just as I was dissing his name
I’m hit with the flames as my soul left my physical frame
Frightened, my senses heightened
Defenseless against this relentless lightning
A stampede of thunder claps, I can’t breathe
It’s like I’m running laps with my lung collapsed
I can’t leave- I’m stuck and trapped
Meanwhile, I am no longer senile
The life I lived in the body- that feels like the dream now
And I’ve awakened to a real life nightmare
It’s quite clear- no use putting up a fight here
My destiny is sealed; a true catastrophe
With future agonies that have yet to be revealed
And that thought alone is such a blow to me- it’s terrible
Because what I’m feeling right now is totally unbearable
I’m disembodied, met my worst feat mentally
Every second like a year, every year a century
No one that I can call, I’m crushed under a wall
Of holy fury, amazed by the justice of it all
Getting what I deserve, in fact my soul is burning black
I’ve crossed over the threshold- never to be saved
Eternal is the furnace and it ain’t no turning back
Oh God, just let me send my fam a letter from the grave!

Refrain

My conscience is killing me
Like a worm that never dies (repeat)

Scene 2

To my parent, my sisters, my cousins, my nieces
Friend, co-workers- everybody needs to read this
You probably thinking I’m in heaven smiling down upon you
But that’s not true- I’m writing this now to warn you
I’m serious- wish I could put a gun to your face
Whatever it takes to make you listen- don’t come to this place
I made tons of mistakes when I was there with y’all certainly
The worst by far was not preparing for eternity
It’s crazy- I don’t even know how to tell y’all
But I’m in hell, y’all
And I know it’s upsetting to hear- it’s upsetting to be here
But I write so you’d get it and see clear
I don’t have all the answers- I grope for more
But there are a couple of things that I know for sure
Re-incarnation is a lie- there’s no such thing as Satan- lie
Getting to heaven through meditation- that’s a lie
Homicidal I feel, but it’s vital we build
Your pride will be killed- the God of the Bible is real
Y’all know- I ain’t read the Bible a day in my life
But He’s the one who’s inflicting all my pain and my strife
So get a Bible and read it- whatever you read- believe it
And after reading, eat it, sleep it and breathe it
There’s much more to this man Jesus- observe the story
And I can tell you that there’s no such thing as purgatory
What I wouldn’t give to have your opportunity
I see my pride has ruined me, ignoring God is lunacy
There’s no comfort, all shame, no peace
No slumber, all pain, it don’t cease
So don’t be lax when attacked with distractions
The fashions and attractions had me relaxing
Now I’m awake for the first time ever
But from the goodness of God’s works I’m severed

Regretting all the tracts that I threw in the trash
Regretting moving fast in pursuit of the cash
Regretting spending all my life trusting myself
Regretting not reading the Bible up on my shelf
Regretting all the things in life that had me caught up
Regretting switching the subject when Christ was brought up
Regretting not going to church when my friends invited me
Regretting believing my college profs who lied to me
Regretting dismissing all believers as lame
Regretting not examining Jesus’ claims
Regretting…

Send Me

'Send Me' - Live at MHC | Ballard from Re:Sound on Vimeo.

GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD BY SHAI LINNE

Greatest Story Ever Told
written by s. linne

Verse 1

Alright check it: let’s go back in time, brethren
Divine lessons always keep your mind guessing
The glory of the Triune God’s what I’m stressing
The origin of humankind was fine- blessings
Were plenteous- God is amazingly generous
Crazy benefits in a state of innocence
God told the man what he could taste was limited
Not long after came our nemesis in Genesis
He scammed well, man fell, damned to hell
The whole human race- he represented it
Fooled by the serpent, man through his work
Woman through birth- even the earth ruled by the curses
But instead of a wake immediately
God said her Seed would be the One to crush the head of the snake
Yo, wait what’s this? Whoa, a gracious gift!
In Jehovah’s faithfulness He clothed their nakedness
This was so they would know their Savior’s kiss
And bliss- but first, many growing pains exist
Suffering in the worst form, ugly deeds
Eve’s firstborn seed made his brother bleed
Indeed things got progressively worse
Every section of the earth’s been affected by the curse
And though God’s judgments against sin were gory
Praise the Lord! It’s not the end of the story

Chorus:

It’s the greatest story ever told
A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold
The greatest story ever told
Restoring all that the enemy stole
The greatest story ever told
The glory of Christ is the goal, behold

The greatest story ever told
It’s the greatest…

Verse 2

Next scene: man’s sin was extreme
God gets steamed, man gets creamed
The Lord is so Holy that He drowned them in the water
Fire in the valley of slaughter- Sodom and Gomorrah
But at the same time, He’s so gracious and patient
That from one man He created a whole nation
Eventually enslaved by the mentally depraved
They cried out to the only One with the strength that He could save
He brought them out with signs and wonders- satisfied their hunger
Then He appeared on Mount Sinai in thunder
Where He laid down the law for God-ruled government
Commonly referred to as the Mosaic covenant
Sin’s imputed- so for man to know he’s unrighteous
God instituted animal sacrifices
This was to show our constant need for atonement
And when it came to sin, the Lord would never condone it
And when His people disobeyed and went astray
He raised up prophets and kings to lead them in the way
But they would get foul with their idolatry- wet and wild
Prophecy- send them into exile
To take their punishment like a grown man
Then with His own hand He placed them back in their homeland
And while in their forefather’s land they dwelt
They awaited the arrival of Emmanuel

Chorus:

It’s the greatest story ever told
A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold
The greatest story ever told
Restoring all that the enemy stole
The greatest story ever told
The glory of Christ is the goal, behold

The greatest story ever told
It’s the greatest…

Verse 3

After 400 silent years filled with sighs and tears
In Bethlehem the Messiah appears
God in the flesh- Second Person of the Trinity
At thirty begins His earthly ministry
Baffling cats with accurate, exact facts
And back to back miraculous acts
A stumbling block to the self righteous
But the humbled- His flock, said “There’s no one else like this”
He came from heaven to awake the numb
Demonstrated His power over nature, son
A foretaste of the Kingdom and the age to come
But the reason He came was to pay the sum
For the depths of our wickedness, our wretched sinfulness
Bless His magnificence- He’s perfect and innocent
Yet He was wrecked and His death- He predicted it
Next He was stretched, paid a debt that was infinite
He said that He finished it- resurrected so the elect
would be the recipients of its benefits
Through faith and penitence we get to be intimate
His grace is heaven sent, it never diminishes
Now the Holy Spirit indwelling is the evidence
for heaven’s future residents who truly represent
Jesus, the Author, Producer, Director and
Star of a story that will never, ever end!

Chorus:

The greatest story ever told
A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold
The greatest story ever told
Restoring all that the enemy stole
The greatest story ever told
The glory of Christ is the goal, behold

The greatest story ever told
It’s the greatest…

The Godly Man's Picture

A reproof to such as are only PRETENDERS to Godliness

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matthew 23:27-28

Here is a sharp rebuke to such as are “glittering dross” Christians, who only make a show of godliness, like Michal, who put “an image in the bed”, and so deceived Saul’s messengers (1 Sam. 19:16). These our Savior calls “whited sepulchers” (Matt. 23:27)—their beauty is all paint! In ancient times a third part of the inhabitants of England were called Picts, which signifies “painted”. It is to be feared that they still retain their old name. How many are painted over with a religious profession, whose seeming luster dazzles the eyes of beholders—but within there is nothing but putrefaction! Hypocrites are like the swan, which has white feathers—but a black skin; or like that flower, which has a lovely appearance—but a bad scent. “You have a name that you live, and are dead” (Rev. 3:1). These the apostle Jude compares to “clouds without water” (Jude 12). They claim to be full of the Spirit—but they are empty clouds; their goodness is but a religious cheat.

Question: But why do people content themselves with a show of godliness?

Answer: This helps to keep up their fame. Men are ambitious of credit, and wish to gain repute in the world, therefore they will dress themselves in the garb and mode of religion, so that others may write them down for saints. But alas, what is one the better for having others commend him—and his conscience condemn him? What good will it do a man when he is in hell—that others think he has gone to heaven? Oh, beware of this! Counterfeit piety is double iniquity.

1. To have only a show of godliness is a God-enraging sin

The man who is a pretender to saintship—but whose heart tells him he has nothing but the name, carries Christ in his Bible but not in his heart. Some political design spurs him on in the ways of God; he makes religion a lackey to his carnal interest. What is this but to abuse God to his face, and to serve the devil in Christ’s livery? Hypocrisy makes the fury rise up in God’s face; therefore he calls such people “the generation of his wrath” (Isaiah 10:6). God will send them to hell, to do penance for their hypocrisy!

2. To make only a show of godliness is self-delusion

It is a horrible mistake to take a show of grace, for grace. This is to cheat yourself: “deceiving your own souls” (Jas. 1:22). He who has counterfeit gold instead of true gold, wrongs himself most. The hypocrite deceives others while he lives—but deceives himself when he dies.

3. To have only a name, and make a show of godliness, is odious to God and man

The hypocrite is abhorred by all. Wicked men hate him because he makes a show, and God hates him because he only makes a show. The wicked hate him because he has so much as a mask of godliness, and God hates him because he has no more. “You have almost persuaded me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28). The wicked hate the hypocrite because he is almost a Christian, and God hates him because he is only almost one.

4. To make a show of piety is a vain thing

Hypocrites lose all they have done. Their sham tears drop beside God’s bottle; their prayers and fasts prove abortive. “When you fasted and mourned, did you at all fast unto me, even to me?” (Zech. 7:5). As God will not recompense a slothful servant, neither will he recompense a treacherous one. The hypocrites’ full reward is in this life: “They have their reward” (Matt. 6:5). A poor reward—the empty breath of men. The hypocrite may make his receipt and write, “Received in full payment”. Hypocrites may have the praise of men—but though these triumphs are granted them, they shall never have the privilege of sitting in heaven. What acceptance can he look for from God, whose heart tells him he is no better than a charlatan in divinity?

5. To have only a pretense of godliness will yield no comfort at death

Will painted gold enrich a man? Will painted wine refresh him who is thirsty? Will the paint of godliness stand you in any stead? How were the foolish virgins better for their “blazing lamps”, when they had no oil? What is the lamp of profession without the oil of grace? He who has only a painted holiness shall have only a painted happiness.

6. You who have nothing but a specious pretext and mask of piety expose yourself to Satan’s scorn

You shall be brought forth at the last day, as was Samson, to make the devil sport (Judges 16:25). He will say, “What has become of your vows, tears, confessions? Has all your religion come to this? Did you so often defy the devil, and have you now come to dwell with me? Could you meet with no weapon to kill you—but what was made of gospel metal? Could you not suck poison anywhere but out of ordinances? Could you find no way to hell—but by counterfeit godliness?” What a vexation this will be, to have the devil thus reproach a man! What will it be to have the devil triumph over a man at the last day!

Let us therefore take heed of this pious pageantry or devout stage-play. That which may make us fear our hearts the more is when we see tall cedars in the church worm-eaten with hypocrisy. Balaam a prophet, Jehu a king, Judas an apostle—all of them stand to this day on record as hypocrites.

It is true that there are the seeds of this sin in the best Christian; but as it was with leprosy under the law, all who had swellings or spots in the skin of the flesh were not reputed unclean and put out of the camp (Lev. 13:6); so all who have the swellings of hypocrisy in them are not to be judged hypocrites, for these may be the spots of God’s children (Deut. 32:5). But that which distinguishes a hypocrite is when hypocrisy is predominant and is like a spreading cancer in the body.

Question: When is a man under the dominion and power of hypocrisy?

Answer: There are two signs of its predominance:

(i) When one serves God for sinister ends.

(ii) When there is some sin dear to a man, which he cannot part with. These two are as clear signs of a hypocrite as any I know.

Oh, let us take David’s candle and lantern, and search for this leaven, and burn it before the Lord!

Christian, if you mourn for hypocrisy—yet find this sin so potent that you cannot get the mastery of it, go to Christ. Beg of him that he would exercise his kingly office in your soul, that he would subdue this sin, and put it under the yoke. Beg of Christ to exercise his spiritual surgery upon you. Desire him to lance your heart and cut out the rotten flesh, and that he would apply the medicine of his blood to heal you of your hypocrisy. Say that prayer of David often: “Let my heart be sound in your statutes” (Psalm 119:80). “Lord, let me be anything rather than a hypocrite.” A double-heart will exclude from one heaven.

Unconditional Election and Counseling - John Piper

Come over my house for a game of Pong!

The Psychological Manipulation of the "Invitation" (Washer)

A History of C. G. Finney and Decisional Regneration (1of2)

Cheesy but funny

You ever just walk around and pick up cans with a good friend for "$" to buy a cup of coffee?

I tell you what if you haven't, your missing out...

Collecting Cans=A Way of Life

The Heavenly Footman by John Bunyan

So run, that ye may obtain.1 Corinthians 9:24.

Heaven and happiness is that which every one desireth, insomuch that wicked Balaam could say, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his (Num 23:10). Yet for all this, there are but very few that do obtain that ever-to-be-desired glory, insomuch that many eminent professors drop short of a welcome from God into his pleasant place.

The apostle, therefore, because he did desire the salvation of the souls of the Corinthians, to whom he writes this epistle, layeth them down in these words, such counsel, which if taken, would be for their help and advantage. First, Not to be wicked, and sit still, and wish for heaven; but TO RUN for it. Second, Not to content themselves with every kind of running; but, saith he, So RUN, that ye may obtain. As if he should say, Some, because they would not lose their souls, they begin to run betimes (Eccl 12:1), they run apace, they run with patience (Heb 12:1), they run the right way (Matt 14:26). Do you so run? Some run from both father and mother, friends and companions, and thus, that they may have the crown. Do you so run? Some run through temptations, afflictions, good report, evil report, that they may win the pearl (1 Cor 4:13; 2 Cor 6). Do you so run? So run that ye may obtain.

These words, they are taken from men’s running for a wager: a very apt similitude to set before the eyes of the saints of the Lord. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. That is, do not only run, but be sure you win as well as run. So run, that ye may obtain.

I shall not need to make any great ado in opening the words at this time, but shall rather lay down one doctrine that I do find in them; and in prosecuting that, I shall show you, in some measure, the scope of the words.

[I. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TEXT.]

The doctrine is this: THEY THAT WILL HAVE HEAVEN, MUST RUN FOR IT; I say, they that will have heaven, they must run for it. I beseech you to heed it well. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run ye. The prize is heaven, and if you will have it, you must run for it. You have another scripture for this in the 12th of the Hebrews, the 1st, 2d, and 3rd verses: Wherefore seeing we also, saith the apostle, are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. And LET US RUN, saith he. Again, saith Paul, I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, &c.

[II. THE WORD RUN OPENED.]

But before I go any further, observe,

First, FLYING That this running is not an ordinary, or any sort of running, but it is to be understood of the swiftest sort of running; and therefore in the 6th of the Hebrews it is called a fleeing; that we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Mark, who have fled. It is taken from that 20th of Joshua, concerning the man that was to flee to the city of refuge, when the avenger of blood was hard at his heels, to take vengeance on him for the offence he had committed; therefore it is a RUNNING or FLYING for ones life. A running with all might and main, as we use to say. So run!

Second, PRESSING this running in another place is called a pressing. I press toward the mark (Phil 3:14); which signifieth, that they that will have heaven, they must not stick at any difficulties they meet with; but press, crowd, and thrust through all that may stand between heaven and their souls. So run!

Third, CONTINUING this running is called in another place, a continuing in the way of life. If ye continue in the faith grounded, and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel of Christ (Col 1:23). Not to run a little now and then, by fits and starts, or half-way, or almost thither; but to run for my life, to run through all difficulties, and to continue therein to the end of the race, which must be to the end of my life. So run, that ye may obtain.

You can read this work in its entirety here

Keep your sights on this new book coming out by Piper on Regeneration

VEHICULAR STOP LIGHT PREACHING

Legalistic Repentance vs Gospel Repentance

“Legalistic remorse says, ‘I broke God’s rules,’ while real repentance says, ‘I broke God’s heart.’ Legalistic repentance takes sin to Mt. Sinai, gospel repentance to Mt. Calvary. Legalistic repentance is convicted by punishment, gospel repentance becomes convicted by mercy.”

Where Do You Go When You Sin?

Anyone who never sins, raise your hand.

I didn’t think so.

Of course we do sin. Let’s get that out of the way first.

1 Jn. 1:8 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Two verses later it says, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

But wait a minute. In 1 John 3:6 it says, “...Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him [that is, Jesus].” And two verses later John writes, “He who sins is of the devil.”

What’s going on here?

A Christian's Sinning vs. Unrepentent Lifestyle Sinning

Well, that’s where English breaks down a little bit. The New Testament was of course written in Greek, the common Greek of the time. And when they wrote and spoke in that day, they would use different tenses of a verb that could make quite a drastic distinction in what they said. One tense might be a reference to a single action, and one tense might be a reference to a continuing action.

We do a similar thing in English, but we usually add other words, or forms of a word to get the point across. For example, if we were talking about a baseball player hitting a single home run, the announcer might say simply, “Wow, he hits a home run!”. But if we were talking about a baseball player whose habit is always hitting home runs, we might say, “Wow, he sure hits home runs.” That’s his practice, that’s his norm. He’s always hitting home runs. He’s a home run champ.

So in 1 John, when it says, “Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor know Him,” we find the Greek word for “sins” is in the Present Tense, which refers to continuous sinning. In other words, one who lives in sin, walks in sin, continues in sin, and never really repents of it, or turns away from it. This fits the context of 1 John also, because as we’ve already said that if we deny that we sin at all, we’re calling God a liar.

Where Do You Go?

O.K. I say all that to say this:

When you sin, where do you go? Do you run straight to God, or do you do what many of us have a habit of doing? We shy away from God. We don’t exactly mean to. But we do.

Some process goes through our mind, maybe not clearly, but something like,

“Oh boy. There I go again. How can I face God after that? I mean, we’ve been through that sin so many times. I know God forgives me, but does He really? I mean, what kind of wretch am I that I would do that again?

"I think I’ll just sit it out and see how it goes. I can’t go to God yet. I’m not sure I even feel like going to God right now. What would He think? Even God has His limits. He must really be frowning a me right now, or even downright angry.

"And I can’t face His frown and anger. Lord knows I deserve it, though. Do you have any idea how many times I must have disappointed Him. And after all He’s done for me?”

We may not verbalize all that, but it’s a common feeling that I’ve heard many people express one way or another.

And of course, eventually we do turn to Him, and our sweet fellowship with Him goes on. And even though we know on some level that the quicker we turn back to Him the better, yet we delay it for what we can only call crazy reasons of bad theology?

Is God Angry At You, A Believer?

Because is it accurate to see God frowning or angry at us? Is it good biblical theology?

No, it’s not. It’s a view of God that is just plain incorrect. And to get a correct view of God, and how He relates to us when we sin, we can look at a story you may be quite familiar with, the Prodigal Son. But you may not be familiar with it from the vantage point, not of the wayward son (that’s us), but of the Father in the story.

The Prodigal Son's Father

I can't tell you how many sermons I've heard through the years on the subject of "The Prodigal Son". What he did. How he treated his father. Where he went. How he worked with the pigs. How he squandered his inheritance. Finally, how he was restored. On and on about the son, with usually some contrasting comparisons about his elder brother.

It's supposed to be a picture of us Christians when we sin or "backslide", and how we can return to God. And how there's always forgiveness, if we repent, turn 180 degrees, say our speeches to God, resolve to do better, etc., etc.

But is that really what it's about? The son?

Well, sure, but only incidentally. I think it's really about the Father, and His heart toward us, his children. It's a picture of God. The son is almost just a prop, added in to make a point.

So what's the point?

[read Lk. 15:11-24]

Notice that the prodigal son had a little speech prepared. A little repentence speech. A groveling speech. Sort of, "Father, I'm a low-down miserable worm, not worthy to be your son, so let me be a hired servant of yours."

Did the Father listen to the speech, and judge the son's sincerity by it?

No! Remember? He never even listened to the speech! He was too overjoyed by his son's return! It's as though he said, "Oh shut up, you big lug! Give your daddy a hug! Welcome home, son!"

What's God Interested In?

And that's the point:

God is not interested in the content of our little speeches. He isn't interested in our groveling, as if the more miserably we grovel, the more we "earn" His forgiveness. Why? Because He has already forgiven us, and paid for that forgiveness on the Cross.

Well, what is He interested in, then?

You. And me.

He is interested in our fellowship!

If I may paraphrase the Father, he said:

"Cut the speech! I get it. Go get the robe! Get the ring! Kill the fatted calf! My son has returned!

"That's all I want! I love you, Son! I love you! Just abide in me. I'll produce the fruit. I know you've failed, and you'll fail again. But that doesn't change my love for you! And I'm at work in you both to will and to do my good pleasure! [Phil. 2:13]"

In our heart of hearts, as believers in Jesus Christ, we don’t want to sin, do we? But the world, the flesh and the devil deceives us, and we do sin.

So Again, Where Do We Go?

Where do we go?

Let’s get in the habit of running to the Father. Don’t walk, run to Him! He will always, always, have His arms open to you, His child, to wrap those arms around you in love. Because the sins are already paid for, remembered no more, as far as the East is from the West, because of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Oh, that we "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that [we] may be filled up to all the fulness of God..." (Eph. 3:18,19a)

Believers Must Repent Before Being Discouraged By Their Sins

“Their being discouraged by their sins will cost them many a prayer, many a tear, and many a groan; and that because their discouragements under sin flow from ignorance and unbelief. It springs from their ignorance of the richness, freeness, fullness, and everlastingness of God’s love; and from their ignorance of the power, glory, sufficiency, and efficacy of the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ; and from their ignorance of the worth, glory, fullness, largeness, and completeness of the righteousness of Jesus Christ; and from their ignorance of that real, close, spiritual, glorious, and inseparable union that is between Christ and their precious souls.

Ah! Did precious souls know and believe the truth of these things as they should, they would not sit down dejected and overwhelmed under the sense and operation of sin. God never gave a believer a new heart that it should always lie a-bleeding, and that it should always be rent and torn in pieces with discouragements.”

-Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices

this would be cool to watch

Description: The Lord Jesus said, “…many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:14). The obvious implication is that the one who does the choosing also does the calling. But who is the one who both calls and chooses? Or, to put it another way, who controls salvation? Is salvation the result of a sovereign act of God or is it the result of man’s supposed free-will?

Those who embrace Reformed Theology believe that God both calls and chooses and that He does not call and choose every single person because the word “many” limits the nature and extent of this action. Because man is dead in sin, it takes a sovereign act of God, and God alone (Monergism), to achieve salvation on fallen man’s part.

Arminianism has a different view. Though they maintain that man is dead in sin, they still believe that man has a choice and, in the end, it is man’s sovereign choice, not God’s, which ultimately determines who is saved.

During the next two hours and a half hours you will hear Reformed apologist Dr. James R. White engage in a debate with Mr. George Bryson of Calvary Chapel and author of the book The Five Points of Calvinism: Weighed and Found Wanting discuss these and other related issues.

“Answering a student’s question, ‘Will the heathen who have not heard the Gospel be saved?’ thus, ‘It is more a question with me whether we, who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not, can be saved.”
- Charles Spurgeon

Deeper

Lord Jesus, give me a deeper repentance, a horror of sin, a dread of its approach. Help me chastely to flee it and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be Thine alone.

Give me a deeper trust, that I may lose myself to find myself in Thee, the ground of my rest, the spring of my being. Give me a deeper knowledge of Thyself as saviour, master, lord, and king. Give me deeper power in private prayer, more sweetness in Thy Word, more steadfast grip on its truth. Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action, and let me not seek moral virtue apart from Thee.

Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly husbandman, that my being may be a tilled field, the roots of grace spreading far and wide, until Thou alone art seen in me, Thy beauty golden like summer harvest, Thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.

I have no master but Thee, no law but Thy will, no delight but Thyself, no wealth but that Thou givest, no good but that Thou blessest, no peace but that Thou bestowest. I am nothing but that Thou makest me. I have nothing but that I receive from Thee. I can be nothing but that grace adorns me. Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water.
- The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers &

Trusting in Your Decision -vs- Looking for Fruits of Salvation

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