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The photo above is of the Luther Monument in Worms, Germany.  Learn more about it here .  In celebration of Reformation Day, here are a few quotes from Martin Luther (apologies for some lacking source citation):  "Faith is a living, unshakeable confidence in God's grace; it is so certain, that someone would die a thousand times for it. This kind of trust in and knowledge of God's grace makes a person joyful, confident, and happy with regard to God and all creatures. This is what the Holy Spirit does by faith. Through faith, a person will do good to everyone without coercion, willingly and happily; he will serve everyone, suffer everything for the love and praise of God, who has shown him such grace. It is as impossible to separate works from faith as burning and shining from fire." (Introduction to the Commentary on Romans ) "We find no rest for our weary bones unless we cling to the word of grace." ( Commentary on Galatians ) “He who believes God...

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.   Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.   Give us this day our daily bread, and  forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.   And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”  (Matthew 6:9-13 ESV) There's a wonderful summary of the meaning of the Lord's prayer in the Westminster Shorter Catechism ... “Our Father in heaven ...” teaches us firstly to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence as children to a father able and ready to help us; and secondly, that we should pray with and for others. (Six requests follow...) 1) “ Hallowed be your name ...” we pray that God may enable us and others to glorify him in all in which he makes himself known; and that he would overrule all things for his own glory. 2) “ Your kingdom come ...” we pray that Satan's kingdom may be destroyed, that the kingdom of grace may be advanced and ourselves and o...

We just finished several Sunday evenings studying, and then applying in prayer, the things that the Apostle Paul prayed for the churches he wrote to.    Here in bullet summary are the prayer points found in the Pauline epistles... o Thanksgiving for God’s work in them o For them to know God’s will with wisdom o To walk worthy of (live up to) our calling o To live a life pleasing to God o To grow in the knowledge of the Lord o For God to give power for every good work o To be sanctified (beautified) by the Lord o That God be glorified in & by them o Wisdom and revelation in knowing God o To be enlightened to know spiritual blessings o To be strengthened by the Spirit inwardly o Ability to understand the love of God o Love to abound more, with discernment o To prove the surpassing value of Jesus o To bear the fruit of righteousness through Christ o To render acceptable service to God’s people o Deliverance fro...

"...the Christian message offers the missing piece deleted by naturalism - the personal, infinite Creator God who stands above nature and has spoken. This points first, not to a religious truth, but a truth about the nature of reality; that is, the world is one way if God is there, and it is another way if He is not . However, our voice in the name of truth will have little weight if our theology has no edge and we do not order our lives any differently than those without the truth." (Bruce A. Little, "Theology Engaging Culture" )

This is John Calvin's prayer at the beginning of his short work, The Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life , published in 1550.  This was a portion of the larger Institutes that was published as a brief manual for the spiritual life of the believer. 

Some Sunday quotes & notes  from the sermon by Jim Krouscas.  "Two natures beat within my breast. The one is foul, the other blest. The one I love, the one I hate; The one I feed will dominate." "To be In Christ – that is redemption; but for Christ to be IN YOU – that is sanctification! To be IN CHRIST – that makes you fit for heaven; but for Christ to be IN YOU – that makes you fit for earth! To be in Christ – that changes your destination; but for Christ to be IN YOU – that changes your destiny! The one makes heaven your home – the other makes the world His workshop."  (Ian Thomas, The Life of Christ in the Life of the Believer ) Treasuring Christ.  Because of Christ... 1) I am a recipient of God’s mercy. (Col 3:6) 2) I am a new person. (Col 3:3) 3) I am being renewed in the knowledge of God. (Col 3:10) 4) I am part of the universal Body of Christ. (Col 3:11) 5) I am chosen by God. (Col 3:12) 6) I am holy. (Col 3:12) 7) I am loved. (Co...

Here is Francis Schaeffer on the unity of what salvation is...  "[ Salvation ] is a single piece, and yet a flowing stream.  I became a Christian once for all upon the basis of the finished work of Christ through faith; that is justification.  The Christian life, sanctification, operates on the same basis, but moment by moment.  There is the same base (Christ's work) and the same instrument (faith); the only difference is that one is once for all and the other is moment by moment .  The whole unity of biblical teaching stands solid at this place.  If we try to live the Christian life in our own strength we will have sorrow, but if we live in this way, we will not only serve the Lord, but in place of sorrow, he will be our song.  That is the difference.  The 'how' of the Christian life is the power of the crucified and risen Lord, through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit, by faith moment by moment ."   (Italics in the original) (Fr...

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and I am God."   (Isaiah 43:10-12 ESV) "Recognizing God’s lordship affects the way we understand the world. If God is in control of the world, then the world is under his control. If God is our supreme authority, then he has the right to tell us what to believe. And if he is present everywhere, our attempts to know the world ought to recognize that presence. The most important fact about anything in the world is its relationship to God’s lordship... "Naturalistic thought believes that all persons in the world are the product of impersonal forces, and that they can...