Tried With Fire

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth . Matthew 5:5 Man wants to have a hand in his salvation. To be told that God will receive nought from him, that salvation is solely a matter of divine mercy, that eternal life is only for those who come empty-handed to receive it solely as a matter of charity , is offensive to the self-righteous religionist. But not to the one who is poor in spirit and who mourns over his vile and wretched state. The very word mercy is music to his ears. Eternal life as God's free gift suits his poverty-stricken condition. Grace - the sovereign favor of God to the hell-deserving - is just what he feels he must have! Such a one no longer has any thought of justifying himself in his own eyes; all his haughty objections against God's benevolence are now silenced. He is glad to own himself a beggar and bow in the dust before God. The Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer , A.W. Pink, Baker Book House, 1982, pg. 26-27.

True confession: I have a greater weakness for old, used books than new ones.    Grant Snider   (Right click to see the details.)

I'm thankful for: Friends who encourage me in the gospel. Summer blooms. I've been treating myself to fresh gardenias from the garden. Computer-free evenings. It's been nice to get away from blogging/social media and enjoy a little reading, sewing, and a spot of BBC drama. Interesting and informative lectures . Check out the selection  of free resources at Covenant Theological Seminary. The recent sermon series on Romans 8. I'm so thankful that God is for me, nothing can separate me from His love in Christ, and He is going to conform me into the image of His Son. It's a done deal because it's His work from beginning to end. God's sovereign rule over all things. Ain't nothing going to budge Him from His throne or thwart His purpose.

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 By these words, Christ refers primarily to the removal of the guilt that burdens the conscience. This is accomplished by the Spirit's application of the Gospel of God's grace to one whom He has convicted of his dire need of a Savior. The result is a sense of free and full forgiveness through the merits of the atoning blood of Christ. This divine comfort is "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding" (Phil. 4:7), filling the heart of the one who is now assured he is "accepted in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6). God wounds before healing, and abases before He exalts.  First there is a revelation of His justice and holiness, then the making known of His mercy and grace. The Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer , A.W. Pink, Baker Book House, 1982, pg. 20-21.

Confessions of a Book Fiend   Grant Snider  (right click for a better view)

I'm thankful for: Quiet and orderly days. The fragrance of gardenias inside and outside the house. Skype and cell phones for staying in touch. Small group meal last night. I love these brothers and sisters. A beautiful day for an outing with two friends from church - reading at the beach followed by lunch. Lunch with Melissa on Saturday, God willing. The golden chain of redemption in Romans 8:28-30. Thank God, my salvation is secure because it's His work from beginning to end.

66 Books One Story: A Family Guide to Every Book of the Bible  by Paul Reynolds, Christian Focus, 2013, Our adult Sunday school class is tackling an overview of the Old Testament. It's been a great series so far. We've learned the main theme(s) of each book and its role in redemptive history. We've also found foreshadowings of Christ and the gospel. I was wondering, "Wouldn't it be great if there was a book for kids that would give an overview of the Bible this way? Is there a resource where they could learn the big picture rather than view the Bible as just a collection of good stories?" Thanks to Carl Trueman's review , I think I've found it. 66 Books One Story gives a three-page synopsis of all the books of the Bible. (Exceptions: Genesis is divided into two sections. Two psalms are highlighted rather than the entire book, and John 2 & 3 are combined.) First, the book is summarized in a single phrase. (Wouldn't that be good for us ad...

It's my day to post at Out of the Ordinary: When I first read through the Bible, I didn't begin too badly. Genesis was exciting because I remembered my Sunday School stories. But I began to get bogged down once the Israelites entered the wilderness. All those intricate details about the tabernacle, sacrifices, and laws were difficult to understand and seemed repetitious. When I managed to get out of the wilderness and into the promised land, I encountered long lists of names I couldn't pronounce and stories of one bad person after another. I didn't fare too well with the prophets as I was never quite sure who they were speaking to and what they were trying to say. It was a relief to reach the familiar territory of the New Testament, but it seemed like a separate book and disconnected from all that had gone before. Read more here ...

We'll see whether I get through these or not... Echoes of Eden by Jerram Barrs - Very thought-provoking look at how the Christian should treat the arts. Glimpses of Grace by Gloria Furman - There have been lots of rave reviews from sisters I respect, so I got a copy. If you know me, you know I have an aversion to "I, the mini-magesterium, will tell you how you are supposed to live your life" how-tos. This is not one of those books. I loved the chapter, "Don't Smurf the Gospel." The Gospel's Power and Message by Paul Washer - 'Nuff said. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - This will be my nth time through the book, but it's always worth re-reading. The Holy Spirit by John Owen - The "Owen for dummies" Puritan Paperback version. The Odyssey by Homer - I pulled this classic off the shelf yesterday. The translation is prose rather than poetry, but still very readable. I will say one thing. The theology is depressing. I would...

I brought these muffins to church and made a 2nd batch for the freezer. They're moist and sweet but not too sweet. Ingredients: 1-1/2 C flour (I substituted 1/4 C almond meal. They will rise more with all flour.) 1-1/2 t baking powder 1/2 t baking soda 1/2 t salt 1 t cinnamon (or 3/4 t cinnamon and 1/2 t nutmeg. I was out of nutmeg for this batch.) 1/4 t cloves 1 stick of butter, melted and cooled 2 eggs, beaten 2/3 C brown sugar 1 C unsweetened applesauce Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In one bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk or sift together. (I started doing this after complaints of finding bits of clumped baking powder/soda. Blech.) In another bowl, combine butter, sugar, applesauce, and then eggs. Add dry to wet ingredients and stir gently until moistened. (Or wet to dry. Does it make a difference?) Spoon into muffin tin with liners. Bake for 20 minutes. Makes 12 - 16 muffins depending on how full you fill the tins. Enjoy!

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Matt. 5:3 He who is in possession of this poverty of spirit is pronounced blessed : because he now has a disposition that is the very reverse of that which was his by nature; because he possesses the first sure evidence that a Divine work of grace has been wrought within him; because such a spirit causes him to look outside of himself for true enrichment; because he is an heir of the Kingdom of heaven. The Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer , A.W. Pink, Baker Book House, 1982, pg. 13

Source I'm thankful for: Several nights of sound sleep. A home warranty that covered repairs to my clothes dryer. The freedom to blog or not blog. Books - both fiction and theology. I'm loving the Flavia de Luce mysteries by Alan Bradley. I've also started Glimpses of Grace by Gloria Furman. After one chapter, this is the book I wish I had read 30 years ago. Rather than holding up an idealized Christian woman/mother/wife and how to achieve that state by doing this and not doing that, Gloria holds up the power of Christ's finished work and how it applies in the midst of our ordinary, mundane lives. My accountability partner. Our small group. It's a high point in the middle of the week. I'm always blessed by being with my brothers and sisters. Sunday's sermon on prayer from Romans 8:26-27. It's encouraging to know that God is not surprised that we don't know how to pray as we ought. It's even more encouraging that the Holy Spir...

This is an easy recipe to use up those overripe bananas. I've combined two recipes from Christina and Nicolette and tweaked it a little myself. 2 C flour (I substitute 1/4 to 1/3 cup of almond meal.) 1 t baking powder 1 t baking soda 1/2 t salt 1/2 t cinnamon 2 medium bananas mashed (about 1 C) 1/2 C sour cream (I use full fat.) 1/3 C brown sugar 1/3 C white sugar 1/3 C oil 2 eggs 1/2 t vanilla 1/2 to 2/3 C chocolate chips Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in small bowl. Combine wet ingredients in large bowl. Add dry to wet and combine until just moistened. Lumps are okay. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into muffin tin. (If you don't use liners, then grease tins before adding batter.) Bake for 18-20 minutes. Makes about 18 muffins. Enjoy!

The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  1 John 1:7 The blood of Christ purges us from our sin, and no truth belonging to the mystery of the gospel is more plainly asserted: 'He has freed us from our sins by his blood' (Rev. 1:5). And, everyone who has an actual interest in the blood of Christ has a real purification from the future defilements of sin also. The Holy Spirit communicates the purifying virtue of the blood of Christ unto our souls and consciences, whereby we are freed from shame and have boldness towards God. His blood has a double consideration: not only atonement and reconciliation, but also purging and sanctification. He offered himself not just to make atonement, but also to sanctify us by the sprinkling of his blood. John Owen,  Works , III:438-447,  Voices from the Past , Richard Rushing, ed., Banner of Truth Trust, 2009, pg. 161.

Now, it is beyond a doubt that the steps by which the Lord in his mercy consummates our salvation are these, “Whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30). But though it is by mercy alone that God admits his people to life, yet as he leads them into possession of it by the course of good works, that he may complete his work in them in the order which he has destined, it is not strange that they are said to be crowned according to their works, since by these doubtless they are prepared for receiving the crown of immortality. Nay, for this reason they are aptly said to work out their own salvation (Phil. 2:12), while by exerting themselves in good works they aspire to eternal life, just as they are elsewhere told to labour for the meat which perisheth not (John 6:27), while they acquire life for themselves by believing in Christ; and yet it is immediately added, that this meat “the ...

My kind of hotel... The behind the scenes video is pretty cute too.

I'm thankful for - Beautiful spring days. It's been cooler than normal, and I'm not complaining at all. Another backyard visitor. This little baby hopped out from under the gardenia bush a few days ago. The picture isn't great quality because I took it through the window. Each day the bunny has grown a bit bigger, but if you compare it to the gum ball, it's still tiny. The pleasure of reading. I've started the second Flavia de Luce mystery, The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag . Flavia is a bit of a stinker, but I am enjoying this series immensely. The dry, deadpan humor has me laughing out loud at times. Thanks to Kim and Melissa for the recommendation. I've also started Echoes of Eden by Jerram Barrs on Christianity and the arts. So far it's been very thought provoking. The women in the evening Bible study. There weren't very many of us but that probably helped us to get to know one another more easily. I've lear...

I've been blogging at Out of the Ordinary for about 9 months. It's been a great experience and a privilege to blog with these ladies whom I respect and admire both for their writing and their walks with the Lord. I felt I was moving from the kiddy table to sit with the grown-ups. But fear of man is always looking for a way to latch on to something, and this was a prime opportunity. God has been very gracious in helping me write, but in the back of my mind is a nagging, "What are people going to think? Will they like it?" So rather than writing about another topic, I tackled my fear of man in this week's post at Out of the Ordinary . As I was editing it last night, my daughter reminded me, "Don't let the fear of man bother you especially when you're writing about the fear of man." Good advice. So here's the post , flaws and all.

Sitting ... in the sunroom. This is my favorite room in the house. It gets a bit toasty on summer afternoons, but I love the morning light that streams in. Drinking ... my morning cup of tea, Lipton with one teaspoon of sugar. Listening ... to the wind, the song birds, and my neighbor's dog. Waffling ... over tomorrow's post at Out of the Ordinary . Wishing ... fear of man would take a permanent hike. Finishing ... Joy! by Keri Folmar tonight as we wrap up our last meeting. I've learned much from this study on Philippians. Looking ... at the weeds lawn and wondering how many more days I can let it go before mowing. Waiting ... for files to download so I can start work. Learning ... to pray first. Thinking ... about Romans 8:18-25, groaning, and certain hope. Copying ... Kim , Lisa , and Rebecca .

The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.” Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”? But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. Psalm 10:10-14 I'd like to thank Thabiti Anyabwile for posting this video by Jackson Katz. The topic of Dr. Katz's TED talk is "Violence Against Women - It's a Men's Issue" which specifically addresses the problem of shifting the blame/focus from the abuser to the victim. Now as soon as some people hear/read the word "victim" their hackles go up. Yes, there are people who have worn that label to avoid responsibility for something that should clearly be lai...

No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11 Many say that they can trust God for eternal life, but cannot trust him for daily bread. This is an utter mistake... If God gives to the beast his food, will he not maintain his children? Daily bread is in your Father's power, and he will certainly give it to you. You may with confidence expect daily supplies. They are from the Lord's free grace and mercy...  We should say with every morsel of bread, 'This is God's gift to me'; of every night's sleep, 'This is the Lord's goodness.'  God is pleased when we acknowledge these outward things. Thomas Manton  Works , I:157-161,  Voices from the Past , Richard Rushing, ed., Banner of Truth Trust, 2009, pg. 154. (emphasis mine)

We have not made good our point until we dispose of the other paralogism: since James places a part of justification in works. If you would make James consistent with the other Scriptures and with himself, you must give the word justify , as used by him, a different meaning from what it has with Paul...  It appears certain that he is speaking of the manifestation, not of the imputation of righteousness, as if he had said, Those who are justified by true faith prove their justification by obedience and good works, not by a bare and imaginary semblance of faith. In one word, he is not discussing the mode of justification, but requiring that the justification of believers shall be operative. And as Paul contends that men are justified without the aid of works, so James will not allow any to be regarded as justified who are destitute of good works. Due attention to the scope will thus disentangle every doubt; for the error of our opponents lies chiefly in this, that they think James...