my burg

"The Christian ought to rely on divine strength because this plan results in the greatest of advancement of God's own glory (Eph. 1:4, 12).   If God had given you a lifetime supply of his grace to begin with and left you to handle your own account, you would have thought him generous indeed.   But he is magnified even more by the open account He sets up in your name.    Now you must acknowledge not only that your strength comes from God in the first place, but that you are continually in debt for every withdrawal of strength you make throughout your Christian course. "When a child travels with his parents, all his expenses are covered by his father-- not by himself.   Likewise, no saint shall say of heaven when he arrives there, 'This is heaven, which I have built by the power of my own might.'   No, the heavenly Jerusalem is a city 'whose builder and maker is God' (Heb. 11:10).   Every grace is a stone in that building, the topstone of which...

"So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." (Romans 8:12-14 ESV) "Let us give up the government of our souls to the Spirit. It is for our safety so to do, as being wiser than ourselves who are unable to direct our own way. It is our liberty to be under a wisdom and goodness larger than our own. Let the Spirit think in us, desire in us, pray in us, live in us, do all in us; labor ever to be in such a frame as we may be fit for the Spirit to work upon."   (Richard Sibbes, from A Fountain Sealed ) Detail above of The Baptism of Jesus Christ , by Piero della Francesca, 1449.

I am really, really enjoying the Kindle.  For a book, print, paper, and fountain pen kind of guy, this is a bit surprising.  But there you have it.  Here's where I'm picking up many free and/or cheap ebooks for my Kindle, specifically with a view to theology and biblical resources, but also historical, fiction, and science fiction: Puritan Library   Bring the books Words of Grace Gospel eBooks   Amazon Project Gutenberg  

What follows is an excerpt from Thomas Watson's A Body of Divinity, (4:2:104-05), on the seriousness of the first sin by Adam.  (Slightly edited for archaic terms)... The aggravation of Adam’s sin .  Wherein did it appear to be so great? It was but the seizing of a fruit. Was it such a great matter to pluck an apple?  It was against an infinite God. It was malum complexum , a voluminous sin, there were many twisted together in it; as Cicero says of parricide, ‘He who is guilty of it, he commits many sins in one;’ so there were many sins in this one sin of Adam. It was a big-bellied sin, a chain with many links. Ten sins were in it.   (1) Unbelief. Our first parents did not believe what God had spoken was truth. God said that they shall die the death in the day they eat of that tree. They believed not that they should die; they could not be persuaded that such fair fruit had death at the door. Thus, by unbelief they made God a liar.  Worse: they believed the ...

A final quote to ponder upon the completion of the adult elective "Story of Redemption"... “Christian, believe this, and think on it: you will be eternally embraced in the arms of that love which was from everlasting, and, will extend to everlasting; of that love which brought the Son of God's love from heaven to earth, from earth to the cross, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to glory; that love which was weary, hungry, tempted, scorned, scourged, buffeted, spit upon, crucified, pierced; which did fast, pray, teach, heal, weep, sweat, bleed, die; that love will eternally embrace you... perfect created love and most perfect uncreated love meet together…  the saints' everlasting rest must consist in the enjoyment of God by love.”   --Richard Baxter, in The Saint’s Everlasting Rest .   

I read again some passages from John Owen's Communion with God (R J K Law's edited version, Banner of Truth, 1991) that are so helpful. I need to ponder these truths often... "Have fellowship with the Father in his love. Have no fears or doubts about his love for you. The greatest sorrow and burden you can lay on the Father, the greatest unkindness you can do to him is not to believe that he loves you. " (p. 13) "Believers must receive the love of the Father. Communion or fellowship lies in giving and receiving. Until the love of the Father is received, we have no communion with the Father in love. How then is this love of the Father to be received in order that we may have fellowship with him? There is only one way and that is by faith. To receive the love of the Father is to believe that he does love us. God has so fully, so clearly revealed his love, that it may be received by faith. " (p. 16) "Many saints have no greater burden in thei...

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31 ESV) Do not be discouraged at the difficulties and oppositions that will rise up before you when you begin resolvedly to walk with God. Discouragements turn multitudes from religion, and provide a great temptation for many young beginners to turn back. Israel in the wilderness was ready to retreat to Egypt. God himself will have his servants and his graces tried and exercised by difficulties, and Satan, will quickly raise up storms before us, as soon as we are set out to sea. But God is on your side and has all your enemies in his hand, and can rebuke them, or destroy them in a moment. O what is the breath or fury of dust or devil s, against the Lord Almighty! In the day you entered into a covenant with God, and he with you, you entered into the most impregnable rock and fortress, and covered yourself in a castle of defence, where you may (modestly) defy all adverse powers of earth or hell. If God cannot sa...