Tried With Fire

I am thankful: For the saints who gave their lives so the Bible could be unchained, translated into the vernacular, and available to the average person. My conscience is not bound by magisteriums, great or small, ancient or present, but by the Word of God alone. The freedom to read the Word and the privilege and responsibility to be a Berean. That a perfect God saves very fallible people and uses them for His purpose. The doctrines of justification by faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone. Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.     Martin Luther

A Charlie Brown Reformation Day:

The Christian blogsphere is a big place, but in God's sovereignty, He brings people across your path. One such person is Diane Bucknell who writes at Theology for Girls . I've appreciated her wise posts, love of God's Word, and sense of humor. Diane and talented husband, Robert , were visiting Washington D.C., so we hopped on a train, met them at Union station, and spent a few hours together. It was a blessing to give her a hug in person and have some face-to-face fellowship. I hope God will cross our paths again this side of glory. Don't they make a nice couple? Sisters in Christ

"Jesus, to whom I have been led to commit myself, has engaged to save me, absolutely, and from first to last. He has promised not only that He will not depart from me—but that He will put, keep, and maintain His fear in my heart—so that I shall never finally depart from Him! And if He does not do this for me—I have no security against my turning apostate! For I am so weak, inconsistent, and sinful; I am so encompassed with deadly snares from the world; and I am so liable to such assaults from the subtlety, vigilance, and power of Satan—that, unless I am "kept by the power of God," I am sure I cannot endure to the end! I do believe that the Lord will keep me while I walk humbly and obediently before Him; but, were this all—it would be cold comfort! For I am prone to wander—and need a Shepherd whose watchful eye, compassionate heart, and boundless mercy—will pity, pardon, and restore my backslidings! For, though by His goodness and not my own—I have hitherto been prese...

I'm guest blogging at Housewife Theologian today. The topic of last week's episode of Mortification of Spin  was emotional and verbal abuse in the Christian home. After listening to the podcast, I couldn't get Todd Pruitt's question out of my mind: What is the dynamic that would prevent her [the wife in an abusive marriage] from going to an elder or going to a pastor and saying, ‘Please, please help’? I started typing like crazy, trying to capture some of the reasons why a woman won't ask for help. This is the result. Many thanks to Aimee for sharing my post on her blog. I hope it will raise awareness of what may be going on behind the scenes. Also thanks to the Mortification of Spin team for tackling this troubling subject.

Source I'm thankful for: Crisp mornings, pumpkin bagels, and hot tea. Warehouse clubs and bread machines. Laughter and lame puns. Connecting with friends from afar. I'm looking forward to meeting  Diane face to face on Saturday. Life defined by the gospel.

It's my turn at Out of the Ordinary today.  "If you could pick a fantasy worship team like fantasy football, who would you choose? Keith and Kristyn Getty? Chris Tomlin? Or how about a converted Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Philadelphia Orchestra to lead the hymn singing? A cappella Psalms anyone? If you could satisfy your musical taste every Sunday, would you be able to worship better?" Read more here .

This high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity, before whom the angels veil their faces—condescends to hold communion with those whom men despise. He passes by the kings and the princes, to manifest Himself to an humble soul in a mud-walled cottage! He comforts them when in trouble, strengthens them when weak, makes their beds in sickness, revives them when fainting, upholds them when falling, and so seasonably and effectually manages for them, that, though they are persecuted and tempted, though their enemies are many and mighty—nothing is able to separate them from His love! And all this he does alone. All the abilities, powers, and instincts, which are found among creatures, are emanations from his fullness. All changes, successes, disappointments—all that is memorable in the annals of history, all the rising and falls of empires, all the turns in human life—take place according to his plan. In vain men contrive and combine to accomplish their own counsels, unless they are parts o...

A Hope Deferred: Adoption and the Fatherhood of God by J. Stephen Yuille, Shepherd Press , October 2013, 146 pages. As believers, we know that God has cleansed us of our sins in Christ, but have we realized all the blessings of being made children of God? In A Hope Deferred: Adoption and the Fatherhood of God . author J. Stephen Yuille unpacks the doctrine of adoption by walking the reader through Romans 8. The particular blessings of adoption are: Cleansed Sins Renewed Affections Satisfied Longings Answered Prayers Sanctified Afflictions Defeated Enemies These are discussed in the odd-numbered chapters. In the even chapters, Yuille tells his family's story - a story of the pain of infertility, the blessing of a child, the sorrow of miscarriage, and the long wait for the adoption of their daughter from China. This alternating between doctrine and testimony works well because theology is brought down to earth in their trials. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this boo...

If you didn't like Beaker's version, here's another.

Carolina wren I am thankful for: The sunshine after a week of heavy rain. An opportunity to share good food and fellowship with the ladies in the church. News of new babies. My hard-working college student. Her composition teacher wants to use her paper, The Reason to Read, as a model essay. Reminders to find my ultimate identity in Christ. The amazing truth that Jesus Christ loves me.

First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. Mark 4:28 In Extravagant Grace , Barbara Duguid distills several of John Newton's letters on the progression of Christian growth. For new believers, there is great enthusiasm and zeal. They have new revelation and gain victory over certain sins, but often there is less compassion and understanding. They view other Christians through the lens of their own experience which may result in a legalistic and judgmental attitude. I would also add cage-stage believers in this category too. As one blogger wrote , "No Calvinist is so brutal in his assessment of Arminianism as the recent Calvinist." Sound familiar?   I love how Newton describes the process in which God humbles us through our own struggles with sin.  We realize where we've been too big for our britches. We appreciate His forbearance which results in greater compassion for those who are struggling. This is what I want to be by His grace. ...

If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2 Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign. It suffices that through God's glory we have recognized the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day. Do you think such an exalted Lamb paid merely a small price with a meager sacrifice for our sins?  Excerpt from a  letter  from Martin Luther to Philipp Melanchthon,  Letter no. 99, 1 August 152...

For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.  Matthew 6:13 "For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory." What encouragement is here! Two things especially inspire confidence towards God in prayer: the realization that He is willing and that He is able . Both are here intimated. That God bids us, through Christ His Son, to address Him as our Father is an indication of His love and an assurance of His care for us. But God is also the King of kings, possessing infinite power. This truth assures us of His sufficiency and guarantees His ability. As the Father , He provides for His children; as the King , He will defend His subjects. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him" (Ps. 103:13). "Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob" (Ps. 44:4). It is for God’s own honor and glory that He manifests His power and shows Himself strong on behalf of His own. "Now unto Him...

Jane Austen is my Homegirl (Downton Abbey Rap)

Source I'm thankful for: - A return to cooler weather after a week in the upper 80's. I think autumn is here to stay. - Rainy days and safety while driving. - Daily strength and concentration for daily duties even when I would rather be doing something else. -  Podcasts  that encourage me in the gospel -  an interview with Barbara Duguid, author of  Extravagant Grace . - The grace God has extended to me. How I can extend that same grace to others? - A very full Sunday. We will be celebrating the Lord's table during the service followed by a congregational meeting and lunch, and then another opportunity to "bond" with the ladies in the church in the evening. It is very good to dwell with the brothers and sisters in unity.

I'm sharing a few thoughts on the place of sound preaching in worship at Out of the Ordinary . Here is a quote from John MacArthur that sparked my post: "Many people see preaching and worship as two distinct aspects of the church service, as if preaching has nothing to do with worship and vice versa. But that is an erroneous concept. The ministry of the Word is the platform on which all genuine worship is built. " Read more here .

Broken Vows: Divorce and the Goodness of God  by John Greco, Cruciform Press , August 2013, 108 pages. The subtitle of Broken Vows is Divorce and the Goodness of God.  Does that sound like a contradiction? Is it possible to discover the goodness of God in the tragedy of divorce? Author John Greco's answer would be "Yes." In Broken Vows , he shares the story of his wife's adultery and the subsequent failure of their marriage. A promising ministry opportunity to serve as an associate pastor came crashing down as well. Yet through this heartbreak, Greco found comfort in the sovereignty of God and discovered that Christ is able to heal the painful wounds of divorce. In addition, he gives thoughtful counsel regarding the prejudice that a divorced Christian may face, the issue of forgiveness, and how to move forward in a gospel identity. As a divorce survivor, I appreciate the courage it took to write this book. It couldn't have been easy. I'm also glad ...

But deliver us from evil -  Matthew 6:13 This is a prayer, first, for Divine illumination, so that we may be able to detect Satan’s devices (2 Cor. 2:11). He who can transform himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14) is far too subtle for human wisdom to cope with. Only as the Spirit graciously enlightens can we discern his snares. Second, this is a prayer for strength to resist Satan’s attacks, for he is much too powerful for us to withstand in our own might. Only as we are energized by the Spirit shall we be kept from willfully yielding to temptation or from taking pleasure in the sins we commit. Third, it is a prayer for grace to mortify our lusts, for only to the degree that we put to death our own internal corruptions shall we be enabled to refuse external solicitations to sin. We cannot justly throw the blame on Satan while we give license to the evil of our hearts. Salvation from the love of sin always precedes deliverance from its dominion . Fourth, this is a pray...

Dean Martin and Victor Borge:. And for an encore....

Source My thankful list: - A good night's sleep. I really needed it. - Good books. Alas, if only there was more time to read. - God's absolute sovereignty over everything. - Encouragement from sisters in Christ through their struggles and lessons learned during our study of Extravagant Grace . - The realization that I am not marred for life by my past. During a recent conversation, my daughter told me she thought she would have to be sad for the rest of her life because of her parent's broken marriage. But joy has come in the morning. These are her own words about what happened: "See all the things that God did right that I never saw coming when my life stank." - Which leads to this quote: We don't have to settle for life with a limp. We can surrender our deepest hurts to Jesus and watch for ways he's working in our struggles to bring good things to us and glory to himself. This business of goodness and glory can take on many forms, the f...